Oman transport: Free WiFi on Mwasalat buses

Muscat: Passengers in Mwasalat buses will receive free unlimited access to WiFi by the end of the first quarter of 2017, a senior official of Mwasalat has said.
The service will enable passengers to surf the Internet through portable devices, tablets or smartphones, and process several tasks in transit, enabling them to save time.
Speaking to the Times of Oman, Ahmad bin Ali Al Bulushi, chief executive officer (CEO) of Mwasalat, said that technicians were now testing the devices to be set up in the buses. “Once the testing is complete we will able to roll out the new feature, which will be of great use for our passengers. Once it is ready, Mwasalat will publish details on how to use free WiFi on its buses,” he said.
Earlier, Mwasalat and Omantel had signed an agreement worth OMR650,000 to provide free WiFi on all public transport buses. “Omantel will pay OMR650,000 to Mwasalat in the next five years and, in return, they will be able to advertise in Mwasalat buses and bus stops,” he said.
The WiFi will be available in both, local Muscat buses and intercity buses that travel outside Muscat. Mwasalat operates around 433 buses, including 46 in Muscat, 37 intercity buses, and 350 school and college buses.
Additionally, Mwasalat will also name two bus stations after Omantel; One at Sultan Qaboos Street in Al Khuwair, Muscat, and the other in South Al Mawaleh, on the main road to the Al-Dakhiliyah region. “Besides, Omantel will able to advertise outside and inside Mwasalat buses in the next five years,” he revealed.
“We believe that this partnership integrates the roles between the two national companies for the benefit of the customer. This step comes as part of the Mwasalat efforts to find alternative solutions to support public transport, which, in turn, will contribute towards reducing our reliance on government support for the sector. We are pleased to have Omantel as our strategic partner, and provide us with the required telecom solutions. We expect to see an increased interest for our public transport service after launching this unique solution,” the CEO of Mwasalat said.
Commenting on the move, Talal Said Al Mamari, the CEO of Omantel,said, “At Omantel, we realise the fact that everyone likes to stay connected when they are on the move. This is why our Omantel 3.0 strategy is aimed at supporting the country’s transformation towards a digital society. Within this framework, our partnership with Mwasalat helps to achieve this objective by providing free internet for passengers who use public transport daily, while at the same time making travelling on Mwasalat a more attractive option within the society.”
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