Lift and escalator company, Otis plc, has announced its intention to form a strategic alliance with digital technology experts, Next Generation Network (NGN) and IBM to deliver information from the internet to lift cars world-wide.

With the assistance of NGN and IBM, Otis intends to provide a wide range of internet-based content to lift passengers, including news, building information, weather and traffic reports. The new service, known as e*Display, will be integrated into new models of Otis lifts and will also be available as an upgrade to existing lifts.

e*Display features a flat-panel screen installed inside the lift car. The screen will show internet based, full-motion, colour displays of information that change every 5 to 10 seconds.

Otis President and CEO Stephen F. Page said the company's strategy, "Will link the world-wide lift presence and experience of Otis, the media content management and digital technology expertise of NGN and the hardware, software and network capabilities of IBM's e-business solutions unit. Together we can provide the first true global application of internet technology inside a lift."

Well, I suppose it's better than the usual silence anyway!

Anna Lagerkvist