MONTREAL – Bell is teaming up with Ford to enable built-in Wi-Fi hotspots in supported Ford and Lincoln vehicles with its Connected Car – Built In service starting November 6.
Bell’s Connected Car already allows passengers to browse, stream and share on its broadband LTE wireless network when they’re on the road or nearby the vehicle when it’s parked. The Wi-Fi hotspot includes a dedicated external antenna, supports up to 10 devices at a time, and is powered by the vehicle’s electrical system rather than the device battery.
“Drivers and their passengers can now connect to Wi-Fi just as conveniently in their Ford and Lincoln vehicles as they do in their homes,” said Nauby Jacob, Bell Mobility’s VP of products and services, in the news release. “As a Canadian leader in Internet of Things innovation, Bell is proud to partner with Ford to bring car owners across the country an even better in-vehicle experience.”
Bell customers can share data from their Bell Share plan with Connected Car for $10 a month, with 1 GB in bonus data per month for 24 months.
Ford customers may sign on for a complimentary wireless data trial that expires at the end of three months, or after 3 GB of data is used, whichever comes first, and then opt for a data plan.
“Having reliable Wi-Fi on the go is no longer just ‘nice to have’ – it’s become a ‘must-have,’ and Ford recognizes that,” added Marc Vejgman, connected vehicle marketing manager for Ford of Canada. “Connecting our vehicles is part of building smart vehicles for a smart world, and we look forward to working with Bell to offer Ford customers another way to stay connected across Canada.”
