Free wi-fi keeps commuters connected
WITH the cost of data known as a barrier to digital access, Sebenza, a free wi-fi platform, is leading the charge in offering thousands of commuters the opportunity to stay connected while travelling to their destinations.
The wi-fi connection is available in over 2 000 taxis across South Africa today, reaching 600 000 people a month.
Spokesperson for Sebenza,
Mayi Tshwete, highlighted the fundamental features of the platform, outlining benefits that commuters can take advantage of to improve their travel experience.
Maintaining relationships with friends and family, applying for employment opportunities on various job-search platforms and having complete access to online educational resources are all examples of this.
Tshwete said, “Sebenza is a way of life. This is where we support local content creators and product developers through deep partnerships that accelerate user numbers while granting access to information and entertainment to the user at their fingertips.
“We use incentivised callto-actions to reward users with Sebenza Bucks, availing a broad range of value through bandwidth and content to commuters as they engage more deeply on the platform. This makes their commute far more enjoyable.
“We firmly believe no one should be left behind in an increasingly digital world.
“It’s not about the numbers.
It’s about making access to data possible. We look ahead to 2023 with hope and optimism to connect people to digital products and services that elevate their daily commute.”
Robyn Nel, Brand Manager at Sebenza, explained: “With integrated location-based mobile advertising and products, commuters are receiving content relevant to where they are at that moment, making it easier to connect to experiences and brands. We also have hybrid opportunities where our team can further brand engagement at taxi ranks through hyper-targeted activations.”
Furthermore, commuters can win prizes, which adds to the intrigue of the experience. A threemonth campaign competition called Khomba, Khonecta, Sebenza, is described, with weekly prizes of R2 000 to be awarded and a grand prize of R50 000 to be won at the end.
To be eligible to compete, commuters only need to sign up for Sebenza during their bus or taxi ride; simply look for the stickers that say “free wi-fi Sebenza”.
The campaign’s name is a playful homage to the distinctive hand signals used in South Africa and is derived from the Zulu word “khomba”, which is slang for hailing a taxi. When hailing a taxi, commuters usually use various hand signals to indicate their destination.