Malaysian telco, U Mobile, has partnered with Waze and SMART Tunnel to enable GPS connectivity for all drivers commuting through the world’s longest dual purpose tunnel. Using Bluetooth-enabled GPS hardware known as Waze Beacons, drivers inside the SMART Tunnel can now enjoy continued GPS navigation and not worry about missing a turn or getting lost.
The devices enable seamless connectivity and unhindered navigation even in areas where there is limited GPS signal reception, through the emission of wireless signals that guide navigation apps. To ensure continued navigation in the SMART tunnel, you just need to enable your phone’s Bluetooth connection. To-date, almost 240 Waze Beacons have been installed along the 5.2 km tunnel.
L-R: Jasmine Lee, Chief Marketing Officer, U Mobile; Mohd Noor Mohd Ali, Chief Operating Officer, SMART; Kelvin Sim, Country Lead, Waze Malaysia; and Woon Ooi Yuen, Chief Technology Officer, U Mobile.
Jasmine Lee, U Mobile’s Chief Marketing Officer, and a frequent commuter in the SMART Tunnel, shares that this new feature will make the drive in the tunnel much more convenient. “U Mobile is a firm believer in unleashing the unlimited potential of technology, be it 5G trials, 4G network expansion or service innovation. This latest partnership with Waze and SMART Tunnel has made U Mobile the first telco in the world to power uninterrupted GPS navigation in a tunnel. With Waze’s Beacons technology, all mobile device users, regardless of which telco service they are subscribed to, will now be able to leverage on the full features of Waze uninterrupted throughout the tunnel.” The Waze Beacons were installed just before the Movement Control Order came into effect.
“Waze has always been about more than just giving people driving directions – we’re about solving transportation challenges and making roads better together. With 30,000 commuters using the SMART Tunnel daily, we’re happy to collaborate with U Mobile and SMART to ease traffic congestion and reduce drivers’ hesitation and confusion caused by signal loss,” says Kelvin Sim, Waze Malaysia Country Lead.
Gil Disatnik, Waze engineer and Global Lead of the Waze Beacons programme adds, “We are excited to bring the Waze Beacons programme to the SMART Tunnel, the very first double decker tunnel in the world to be fitted with Waze Beacons to provide seamless navigation to commuters in Malaysia. Tunnel safety is a very important topic and with better visibility, as well as traffic flow into, through and out of the tunnel, we can help to ensure safer road conditions for all. We look forward to expanding the Waze Beacons programme to other areas in Malaysia and across Southeast Asia.”
To use the service, all Waze users in the SMART Tunnel will be prompted to turn on Bluetooth to enjoy uninterrupted GPS navigation. For more infomation, visit www.u.com.my
U Mobile customers subscribed to Unlimited Mobile Internet (UMI), U28, P38 and P48 plans enjoy free data for Waze. Meanwhile, subscribers on unlimited data plans such as GX30, GX38, GX50, GX68, P79, P99 and P139 enjoy Waze without ever having to worry about their data running out.
Keyword: U Mobile Enables Waze Navigation Inside SMART Tunnel