Verifone Systems has struck an agreement with Sky News to broadcast news bulletins in Londons black cabs. The service is expected to launch this month via VeriFone’s Digital Network (VNET).
Passengers can watch Sky News as soon as the taximeter is activated, controlling settings with a remote as they would their own TV. The news is delivered on a 14-minute loop cycle that matches the length of an average London taxi journey. The Sky News content is refreshed between six to eight times daily.
“In addition to providing passengers with access to entertainment and news, VNET provides advertisers with a unique opportunity to engage directly with their audience through targeted promotions and information, reaching affluent business professionals and consumers inside the London black cab when they are at their most receptive and least distracted,” says VeriFone vice chairman, Bud Waller. 
VNET’s TaxiTV now spans more than 10 major media markets across the Atlantic. Last year VeriFone reached an agreement with NBC-owned television stations to deliver NBC award-winning content to more than 12,000 taxis in markets throughout the US, including New York City, Boston, Chicago, and Las Vegas. In addition to TaxiTV, VNET’s footprint includes thousands of petrol forecourts and convenience stores throughout the US.
Verifone is already active in London’s black cabs. Over the past 12 months, the company has deployed an NFC-based platform that passengers to pay for their journey with a ‘tap and go’ contactless card if they have one and the fare is less than £15.
