Opera Software, makers of the popular Opera Mini mobile browser have launched Web on Wheels (WOW), featuring a specially-equipped WOW car that provides free Wi-Fi access to those in range. Opera hopes to encourage new users to get online and experience the internet from their mobile phones. Opera is taking the Web on Wheels initiative as an opportunity to engage with its millions of users from India’s Tier II and Tier III cities.
According to the company, for the next 10 months, the WOW car will travel across India, covering 20 cities. This unique journey started from Agra. The car was stationed at multiple locations, such as Raja Mundi, Paliwal Park, Sadar Bazar, St. John’s College, among other notable locations throughout the city. The WOW car will hit the road in phases, first covering the northern belt of India. After Agra, the WOW car will travel around Lucknow. Its next stops are Kanpur, Varanasi and Allahabad.
It is very easy procedure to use WOW car’s free internet. Mobile users are required to do as follows:
- Switch their phone’s Wi-Fi setting to ON and select Opera Mini free Wi-Fi from their wireless network options.
- Open the Opera Mini browser. A sign-in screen will appear.
- Sign in by entering their details and a one-time password.
After signing in, users will have a daily allotment of 20 minutes of free internet access on their mobile phones. There is no limit to the amount of data that can be used during this time or the websites and apps that can be used with this free internet service.
“Today, almost everyone has a mobile handset that is capable of accessing the internet. However, many users are reluctant to use the mobile internet due to a lack of awareness or the perceived high cost”, says Sunil Kamath, Vice President for South Asia & South East Asia at Opera Software. “We hope Web on Wheels can help in lowering the barriers for new users to come online.”
As claimed by the company, more than 55 million users in India already use Opera web browsers. Opera Mini is a fast web browser that shrinks webpages by up to 90% of their size, helping users save on mobile data.
