Wi-Fi, entertainment system: BMTC Volvos to go high tech soon

In the first phase about 200 buses commuting to KIA, Electronics City and Whitefield will have Wi-Fi in two weeks time.  Apart from the Wi-Fi there will also be on-board entertainment system offered through an app.

Soon Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) Volvo buses will have Wi-Fi for the commuters. In the first phase about 200 buses commuting to KIA, Electronics City and Whitefield will have Wi-Fi in two weeks time. 

Apart from the Wi-Fi there will also be on-board entertainment system offered through an app, reported a leading daily.

Divisional traffic officer (commercial) of BMTC, Bialappa M Biradar, stated that the purpose of this is to provide relief to bus passengers who spend hours on roads stuck in traffic. By providing them internet connectivity the passengers can work and get entertained while travelling. The minimum speed will be 7.2 mbps and there will be the facility to directly plug in devices to access internet connectivity without streaming, the Times of India quoted Biradar as saying.

The civic authority is not spending any money on the project, a firm that will be implementing it will bear the expense and the firm is permitted to advertise on the LCDLED panels of the buses. If the initial response is good, the Wi-Fi project will be expanded to 650 more Volvo buses under the BMTC, TOI quoted Biradar as confirming.

This is also an effort to compete with the cab-based aggregators that are majorly influencing BMTC’s business on the Electronics City, KIA, and Whitefield routes.