City buses and tram will add free Wifi in 2016

As part of it Digital Ctiy program, the city of Cuenca will add free Internet Wifi service to city buses in early 2016 and include it on the tranvía when that becomes operational later in the year.

City councilman Crisitian Zamora said that technicians are already at work on Wifi installation on buses and said the city would bear all cost. “This will be good quality, high speed Internet,” says Zamora, who added that Cuenca will be the first city in Ecuador to offer the service in its public transportation fleet. “This is very common in Europe and North America. We want to keep up with the trends,” he says.

Zamora said the city hopes to recoup its costs with advertising revenue from Internet providers.

According to Zamora, the Internet connection will improve security on buses since drivers and passengers will be able to report crimes with a direct connection to 911 when they occur. “The immediate response by law enforcement should be a deterrent to thefts,” he says.