Telus promotion leverages Wi-Fi, LTE and pedal power

Chalk one up for Canadian mobile operator Telus, which is combining Wi-Fi, LTE and a public bike-sharing program in an innovative mobile marketing promotion.

Members of the operator's Wi-Xi squad are riding bicycles from Bixi--described as the first large-scale bike-sharing system in North America--which are each outfitted with a Wi-Xi LTE modem linked to a battery that is recharged by pedal power. Up to 10 users can connect via each bicycle-based hotspot to Telus' LTE network.

Over the summer, the Telus Wi-Xi squad will pedal through the streets of Montreal and visit popular locales so members of the public can try out the free Wi-Fi access to Telus' LTE network.

The Bixi bike-sharing service allows a person to borrow a bike from a Bixi station, ride it around and then return it to any other station in the Bixi network.

"We are proud to be associated with Bixi. This is our way of contributing to its success while, at the same time, ensuring that all Montrealers can benefit from our expertise and our cutting edge technologies," said Francois Gratton, senior vice president, business market, eastern Canada, and consumer mobility, Quebec, at Telus.

The mobile operator launched LTE service in 14 metropolitan areas on Feb. 10, making it Canada's third mobile operator to do so. Telus has promised to broaden its coverage to cover more than 25 million Canadian POPs, or about 75 percent of the population, by the end of 2012.

For more:
- see this Telus release

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