Onroot, together with Absa and SA Taxi, is aiming to revolutionise the way the lower income market in South Africa consumes online content, by combining mobile technology with uninterrupted and free internet connectivity inside taxis.

Named the Moovah! App (video featured below), this concept is the brainchild of Megan Harrison, CEO and founder of Onroot, and developed in conjunction with Winjit Technologies.

Unlike other Wi-Fi services, the Moovah! App will not only offer free internet connectivity to taxi commuters, it also provides users with specific online content that can be downloaded or streamed to their smartphone at no cost to them. As such, the service is completely free and does not require the commuter to spend airtime or data in order to use it.

The content available on the app varies from entertainment to educational, and users engage with the content by completing tasks like watching an advertisement or taking a quick 5-question survey to earn points which can then be “spent” on the downloads of their choice.

The app operates via a Wi-Fi router installed in the taxi, and according to Onroot, the Moovah! app could represent the only means of accessing the internet for low income taxi commuters. When connected to Moovah!, the user can download or stream content cached in the device at speeds of up to 100 mbps.

Moovah! began its first-phase roll out in a network of select minibus taxis in Gauteng and the Western Cape in April, and there are plans to extend the reach post-pilot.