London’s famous black cabs are expected to provide free Wi-Fi to passengers. This will be possible thanks to technology provided by a TechCity startup. Passengers of the cab will be able to use the CabWifi service to gain access to 15 minutes of free Wi-Fi after they watch a 15 second ad.
Actually, startup firm Eyetease has been pushing the system in question for 2 years already, trying to offer broadband usage without racking up huge fees. This is especially important for tourists who are forced to pay huge money for data usage when being abroad. However, as Eyetease founder Richard Corbett pointed out, taxi drivers themselves have also seen data costs increasing.
Taking into account dwell times that average to 15 minutes in the back of a taxi, it’s a great way to pass the time – just use a laptop, tablet, book reader or smartphone with legitimate and free access to the web while going from the point A to point B. Tourists and business travelers will now have a chance to access their emails, talk on Skype or surf the Internet. And they don’t have to be afraid of being hit with high data roaming charges when they go back home.
The company is currently holding negotiations with major brands in order to sponsor the above described scheme, in return for adverts in the back of the cabs throughout London when the service is introduced next year.
At the moment, Wi-Fi is becoming increasingly widespread across the capital. For example, Virgin was getting the contract to provide free access to the Internet at tube stations during the Olympics. Industry observers confirm that the cab online service will prove popular and a good source of promotion for broadband providers.
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