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Johannesburg - The City of Tshwane has officially launched a free internet video-on-demand service for those making use of the city’s open Wi-Fi networks.
The project forms part of non-profit Project Isizwe’s free Wi-Fi services, which are available across the city in areas such as the Pretoria CBD and Mamelodi.
Project Isizwe’s CEO Alan Knott-Craig Jr told Fin24 that the free Wi-Fi TV service has been “live since early November” but that its “official launch” has been on December 12.
He also told Fin24 that there have been 200 000 downloads of the service to date.
Local crews for the free Wi-Fi TV service have been recruited and trained to create videos covering local topics including music, current affairs, entrepreneurship, religion, jobs and sport in the townships of Mamelodi, Soshanguve, Atteridgeville and the Tshwane CBD, according to a joint statement from the city and Project Isizwe.
The videos are then uploaded to ‘Tobetsa’, the content portal for the Tshwane Free WiFi network.
“A very important aspect of the Wi-Fi TV is that the filmmakers were previously unemployed; they are now putting their talents to good use and gaining the necessary skills to help them flourish in their careers,” said the Executive Mayor of Tshwane, Kgosientso Ramokgopa, in a statement.
“The Free Wi-Fi network has opened a myriad of job opportunities, and going forward we will expand Wi-Fi TV into the Tshepo 10 000 job creation plan,” he added.
In addition, The City of Tshwane said that services such as ‘Wi-Fi Voice’ are planned for September 2015. This service is expected to enable free calls among users connected to the Tshwane Free Wi-Fi network with the use of a voice application.
And during 2016, ‘Wi-Fi Drive Inns’ are expected to be launched for each region of City of Tshwane. Users can then watch movies within the WiFi Drive Inn areas.
More offerings, such as music and sports channels, are also being planned for the free Wi-Fi TV service.
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