Vodafone Offers Free HSDPA Access - Inside Taxi Cabs

Hong Kong's SmarTone-Vodafone has fitted out one hundred local taxi cabs with a platform which connects to the network operator's HSDPA network via a standard USB socket. The service is being offered free to taxi customers.

"We are pleased to introduce our pioneering SmarTone-Vodafone Mobile Broadband to a fleet of one hundred taxis on the road, offering consumers free trial while they are on the move. This lets them enjoy the freedom, convenience and flexibility provided by a truly ubiquitous wireless broadband service," said Mr. Douglas Li, CEO of SmarTone-Vodafone. "The offer of free Mobile Broadband inside taxis demonstrates once again our industry leadership through innovation, quality and creativity in delivering an unbeatable experience to customers."

Passengers can simply plug their laptops into the USB modem while they ride in one of these taxis, and they will connect to the SmarTone-Vodafone Mobile Broadband network.

In addition to the free Mobile Broadband experimental programme in taxis, SmarTone-Vodafone has also set up workstations for consumers to try out its Mobile Broadband in locations such as GOD in Causeway Bay, GOD in Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui and apm shopping mall in Kwun Tong.

The Mobile World subscriber database reports that Smartone ended last year with just under 1.1 million subscribers, of whom 190,000 are recorded as using the 3G network."

Posted to the site on 12th March 2007