Vodafone extends 'Living Room on Wheels' service across Europe

Vodafone Business has extended its pan-European Internet in the Car (IITC) service to a further ten countries, bringing the total number of countries where motor manufacturers can now offer vehicles with reliable and secure internet to 32.

The new markets include Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Monaco, and Slovenia. Vodafone Business Internet in the Car now offers customers the largest European footprint of any other provider for a service of this kind.

The service combines Vodafone Business’s Global Managed Internet of Things (IoT) Connectivity Platform, which has over 187 million connections globally, with local internet service providers. This transforms a vehicle into fully functional internet access point that can power highly integrated in-car internet services for all popular apps, personalised infotainment, and flexible Wi-Fi services.

Internet in the Car offers a local internet experience across Europe, often at no additional charge included with the car or as a pre-paid data plan. Users can access their local content wherever they travel through dynamic routing of data and an extensive roaming footprint. For the end user, this combines a highly integrated service experience with predictable and transparent costs no matter which phone or data plan they own, so that they can continue to game, stream, or catch up with work on long journeys.

Erik Brenneis, Chief Executive Officer of Vodafone IoT, said: “Vodafone Business Internet in the Car is the ideal road companion for manufacturers and motorists. A Deloitte survey revealed that consumers would prefer to have digital connectivity bundled with the vehicle purchase price rather than having to pay a monthly subscription. Our service allows manufacturers to do just that.

“Also, with around 145 million connected passenger vehicles predicted by 2028, Vodafone Business is ideally positioned to support manufacturers in capturing this growth with one of the largest pan-European networks and a leading global IoT platform.”

By using Vodafone Business’s Managed IoT Connectivity platform and its extensive network of partners, manufacturers can offer motorists ‘‘Living Room on Wheels’. Vodafone Business also takes care of all the necessary agreements with the local operators, providing car manufacturers with a fully compliant service, as well as saving them substantial time and resources.

The Internet in the Car service complements Vodafone’s comprehensive partnerships and initiatives covering the automotive sector. These include its pan-European vehicle safety platform, called Safer Transport for Europe Platform (STEP). STEP connects road users, vehicles, and transport authorities directly to each other via third party apps and in-vehicle navigation systems. Vodafone Business also has a technology partnership with Extreme E, an eco-conscious, all-electric motorsport series.