Tourists connecting to the Internet while traveling by Kigali bus

Following the launch in 2013 of the free Internet initiative by the government of Rwanda and the city of Kigali, significant progress has been reported at this stage.

Following the launch in 2013 of the free Internet initiative by the government of Rwanda and the city of Kigali, significant progress has been reported at this stage.

The installation and commissioning in 2015 of the countryโ€™s 4GLTE network has, according to usually well-informed sources in Rwandaโ€™s capital, allowed nearly 500 city transport buses, belonging to Kigali Bus Service, Royal Express, and vehicles belonging to members of the Rwanda Federation of Transport Cooperative to connect. The commuter buses have been fitted with routers, and the service is notably free and expands the reach of wireless connections from just local free wireless hotspots in the city to the transportation system.

This makes Kigali the only city in Africa with such unprecedented access to the internet and underscores the Rwandan governmentโ€™s commitment to turn the country into the continentโ€™s leading ICT hub.

The use of smart phones, phablets, and tablets on the move is now a reality and allows commuters to either browse for news, interact with friends and relatives on social media, and, of course, answer emails and attend to business on the go.

It is understood that buses on routes across the country will be targeted next to install routers. This, when becoming reality, will make Rwanda a Mecca for tech-savvy tourists. Those visitors ready to travel on public transport will be able to post pictures and their personal impressions along the way, as they interact with Rwandans across the Land of a Thousand Hills.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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