A guide, not a sales page
Mobile WiFi in South Africa, explained for operators.
Putting WiFi in a bus, a shuttle or a taxi is not the same job as putting it in a building, and it is not the same job as buying a pocket router for a holiday. This page covers what mobile WiFi actually is, what goes wrong with the cheap version, and what an operator needs to get right before passengers ever see a login screen.
Why the cheap version disappoints
A bus is not one person with a laptop.
Most operators try a personal mobile hotspot first. It is a reasonable place to start, and here is where it usually runs out of road.
A pocket router is built for one person
The little devices sold for personal travel are sized for a phone and a laptop. Put twenty passengers on one and the connection gets slower for everybody, because nothing on the device is deciding who gets what.
Nobody is looking after it
A pocket router lives in a glovebox until it stops working, and then a driver has to notice, say something, and wait for somebody to sort it out. On a fleet, that is a lot of trips where the WiFi quietly does not work.
There is nothing between the passenger and the connection
No branded page, no terms anyone accepted, no limit on what one passenger can use, and no record of anything. If you are putting your operator name on the WiFi, that matters.
The data plan is a guess
One SIM in one device with no view of what it is spending is how an operator ends up surprised by the bill, or out of data halfway through the month.
What to get right
Six things to settle before you fit anything.
None of these are technical decisions. They are operating decisions, and they are easier to make before the equipment is bought than after.
Coverage along the route, not at the depot
Mobile coverage changes as the vehicle moves. The routes you actually run decide what the connection will be like, so they are where the planning starts.
Power that survives the trip
A cigarette lighter socket is fine for some vehicles. Others want the unit wired in properly, so the WiFi does not depend on somebody remembering to plug it back in.
A limit per passenger
Without one, a single download takes the whole connection with it. With one, everybody gets a usable share for the length of the trip.
A login page with your name on it
Passengers see the operator, the route, the terms and, where you want it, a sponsor. It is also where consent is captured if you are collecting passenger details.
A view across the vehicles
Which vehicles are online, how many passengers are connected, and how much data each one is using. Otherwise you find out something is wrong from a complaint.
Somebody to phone
Support runs Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 17:00 SAST. A driver should not be the person troubleshooting the WiFi.
FAQ
Mobile WiFi questions.
What is mobile WiFi?
Mobile WiFi is an internet connection that travels with the vehicle. A unit fitted in the bus, shuttle or taxi connects to a mobile network and shares that connection with passengers through a login page you control.
Is it the same as the pocket WiFi device I bought for a trip?
It uses the same idea, but a personal device is built for one or two people and nobody is managing it. Passenger WiFi on a commercial vehicle needs limits per passenger, a branded login page, a data plan sized for the routes, and someone keeping it running.
Who is it for?
Long-distance buses, airport and hotel shuttles, staff and student transport, taxis, tour vehicles, and mobile services like clinics, training units and field teams.
What does it cost?
Vehicle WiFi is R899 per vehicle per month, ex VAT, on top of the package you choose, and it works with all three packages. The mobile data itself is bought from a network, and the equipment and fitting are quoted per vehicle.
Can passengers see our brand and our terms?
Yes. The login page carries your name, your wording, your terms and a sponsor message if you sell one, exactly as it would in a venue.
Where to go next
When you want the service rather than the explanation.
WiFi in Motion
Our vehicle WiFi service: what is included, what it costs, and how a fleet is set up. R899 per vehicle a month, ex VAT.
Packages and pricing
All three packages work in a vehicle as well as at a fixed location.
WiFi for taxis, shuttles and tours
A longer read on passenger WiFi in South African transport.
Ready to sort out your guest Wi-Fi?
Book a 20-minute walkthrough and we will map the right package to your venue. Packages start at R399 a month per location, ex VAT.
Or call us on 071 437 6694