Starting next month, anyone riding in an Abu Dhabi cab will be able to enjoy complimentary WiFi.
Also this week, Smart Dubai announced plans to expand free WiFi throughout all of Dubai and much of Abu Dhabi by the end of next year. This, they said, would mark a first step to having free WiFi all over the country.
Abu Dhabi's Center for Regulation of Transport by Hire Cars ( TransAD ) made the announcement about WiFi in Abu Dhabi cabs this week. This came on the heels of a similar initiative launched in Dubai two weeks ago.
"TransAD is constantly striving to enhance the passenger experience it delivers in its taxis," General Manager of TransAD Mohammad Al Qamzi said, according to The National .
"We are pleased to partner with Telematics and BlueGreen to bring this world-class smart WiFi service to our passengers, who can now avail of constant connectivity in our taxis for free."
"Two weeks ago we saw Dubai’s taxis offer free WiFi and within a year it will be everywhere across the city," Aisha bin Bishr, the director general of Smart Dubai, said, according to The National .
She added that the United Arab Emirates aims to spread WiFi throughout the country.
"We hope to see the UAE offer free WiFi once the scheme has been tried and tested in Dubai," she said.
"We offer [bandwidth of] 512 kbps, which allows people to connect to social media and use WhatsApp, but you will not be able to watch videos or technology, which requires higher speeds."
Last year, Smart Dubai and du launched free WiFi in 200 locations, since expanding to some 300, including Dubai's public transportation network. The expansion of WiFi throughout the country is an effort to make doing business easier, especially for entrepreneurs.