KIGALI AUTHORITIES CONNECT NEARLY 500 BUSES TO 4GLTE WIFI
(Posted 22nd February 2016)
Following the launch in 2013 – as reported here at the time – of the free internet initiative by the government of Rwanda and the city of Kigali can significant progress be reported at this stage.
The installation and commissioning in 2015 of the country’s 4GLTE network has according to usually well informed sources in Rwanda’s capital allowed to connect nearly 500 city transport busses, belonging to Kigali Bus Service, Royal Express and vehicles belonging to members of the Rwanda Federation of Transport Cooperative. The commuter busses have been fitted with routers and the service is notably free and expands the reach of wireless connections from just local free wireless hotspots in the city to the transportation system.
This makes Kigali the only city in Africa with such unprecedented access to the internet and underscores the Rwandan government’s commitment to turn the country into the continent’s leading ICT hub.
The use of smart phones, phablets and tablets on the move is now a reality and allows commuters to either browse for news, interact with friends and relatives on social media and of course answer mails and attend to business on the go.
It is understood that busses on routes across the country will be targeted next to install routers. This, when becoming reality, will make Rwanda a Mecca for tech savvy tourists. Those visitors ready to travel on public transport will be able to post pictures and their personal impressions along the way, as they interact with Rwandans across the Land of a Thousand Hills.
For more information about Destination Rwanda click on www.rwandatourism.com
One Response
The Rwandese are so on the ball!
This gives their tourism marketing a real edge: you can’t beat word of mouth marketing via live social media updates and on-the-go TripAdvisor reviews. Will the rest of Destination East Africa be able to keep up?