In partnership with Mowasalat, Qatar’s official transportation company, Vodafone Qatar has launched a public Wi-Fi service for passengers on buses and taxis across the country. The new service will provide internet access to customers on over 4,000 buses and in 1,000 taxis. The service will be open to both residents and tourists and will be free for visiting fans during this year’s World Cup event, which began on 20 November.

Tarifica’s Take

It is estimated that the World Cup will attract upwards of 1.2 million tourists to Qatar, most of whom are high spending consumers. While in the country, many will rely heavily on buses and taxis to travel to and from venues and this free Wi-Fi will fill an essential need for tourists unfamiliar with the area and eager for the latest score updates.

With this global consumer base in mind, the drive to secure this partnership was likely more driven by Vodafone corporate and less its Qatari subsidiary. The provider has operating units in 22 countries globally (including many of those competing in the World Cup) – meaning most of the visitors will recognize the Vodafone brand and have the provider available in their home country. In this way, the promotion also helps the Vodafone establish (or deepen existing) customer relationships with the brand, which could contribute to customers’ willingness to switch to, or stay with, Vodafone once they return home.