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TELUS Gives Taxi-Taking Canadians a Boost, for Free
Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver taxis will include device charging stations to keep Canadians connected while they're on-the-go
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Apr 22, 2014) - (TSX:T)(TU) - It happens to everyone. You're out-and-about using Google Maps to get to your next appointment, checking Yelp! for the best nearby coffee shop and Instagramming your latest photo masterpiece when before you know it, your device battery is dead and you have no way to power up.
That's where TELUS would like to help. In partnership with Play Taxi Media, TELUS is unveiling the first-ever fleet of taxis in Canada featuring cell phone and tablet chargers. Rolling out over the coming months in 1,000 cabs, Canadian taxi-goers in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver will be able to power up their devices free of charge, while on-the-go.
"It's Murphy's Law that your device battery will die right when you seem to need it the most," says Anne-Marie Laberge, Vice President of Brand and Marketing Communications at TELUS. "We've all been there - running late for a dinner date with friends or in between meetings when your phone dies before an important conference call. Our in-taxi chargers are just one way that we're working to put customers first - they offer a simple convenience that will go a long way in making their lives easier and more connected."
Taxis will be equipped with a power docking station located on the backside of the passenger seat headrest and will work with any phone or tablet. It's as simple as docking your device, sitting back and enjoying the ride. Don't worry, cabs will also be equipped with a note on the window to remind customers to grab their phone before they go.
"I am asked multiple times every day by customers if I can charge their phone for them. Sometimes they have conference calls in the cab and need a charge. Now they can actually get one in the backseat," says Angelo Georgilas, Toronto taxi owner and driver.
"From the late-night crowd trying to meet friends, to business professionals who need to jump on a conference call, phone charging stations in taxis are a great solution to this common predicament," added Zachary Killam, CEO of Play Taxi Media.
The in-taxi device chargers will be available through 2015 with Blacktop & Checker Cabs in Vancouver, Mayfair Taxi in Calgary, Ambassador Taxis in Toronto and Taxi Union in Montreal. The program will grow to include additional taxi companies over the coming months.
About TELUS
TELUS (TSX:T)(TU) is Canada's fastest-growing national telecommunications company, with $11.4 billion of annual revenue and 13.3 million customer connections, including 7.8 million wireless subscribers, 3.3 million wireline network access lines, 1.4 million Internet subscribers and 815,000 TELUS TV customers. Led since 2000 by President and CEO, Darren Entwistle, TELUS provides a wide range of communications products and services, including wireless, data, Internet protocol (IP), voice, television, entertainment and video.
In support of our philosophy to give where we live, TELUS, our team members and retirees have contributed more than $350 million to charitable and not-for-profit organizations and volunteered 5.4 million hours of service to local communities since 2000. TELUS was honoured to be named the most outstanding philanthropic corporation globally for 2010 by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, becoming the first Canadian company to receive this prestigious international recognition.
For more information about TELUS, please visit www.telus.com.
About Play Taxi Media
Founded in 2008, Play Taxi Media is Canada's largest digital interactive network in the out of home environment and Canada's only one-stop shop for all forms of taxi advertising.
Play offers interactive and measurable digital media solutions by combining the best elements of OOH, Digital and Experiential marketing backed up with digital online certified tracking. Play also offers exterior taxi wraps & tops, exclusive onscreen content sponsorships, a mobile taxi booking app and in-vehicle mobile phone charging station sponsorships. Play's network of touch screens is installed in metropolitan taxi cabs and broadcasts entertaining content, news and advertising to a hard-to-reach, affluent and active consumer base 24 hours a day.
