Category:
The city of Rio de Janeiro is getting new units of the Claro Friendly Shelter project at bus stops.
Published on 04/03/2026 - 17:33 | Updated
Technology offers remote assistance to those waiting for public transportation at night. Photo: Gabriel Monteiro Rio de Janeiro will receive the first 22 units of the Claro Friendly Shelter at city bus stops by the end of this week. The units are equipped with Claro technology to offer video calls, allowing real-time communication between users, mainly women, and the monitoring center. The project is a partnership between Eletromidia and the Claro mobile operator with the Rio de Janeiro City Hall. The ceremony marked the expansion of the project with the inauguration of the Lapa unit. The event was attended by the municipal secretaries of Policies for Women, Joyce Trindade, of Conservation, Didi Vaz, and of Economic Development, Osmar Lima.
– The feeling of security is still one of the biggest challenges for women, especially at night. The Claro Friendly Shelter is a tool that offers support and real-time presence, ensuring that women are not alone while waiting for transportation. It is a technology that creates an environment of support, listening, and monitoring, allowing them to feel protected and arrive home with more peace of mind – says the Secretary of Policies for Women and Care, Joyce Trindade.
The shelters are located in the city center, the South Zone, and part of the North Zone, regions where Eletromidia is the current concessionaire responsible for bus shelters. The expectation is that the city will gain up to 200 units this year. Currently, the Claro Friendly Shelter project is present in five stations of the Rio de Janeiro Light Rail (Antônio Carlos, 7 de Setembro, Saara, Candelária, and São Bento).
The selection of locations follows rigorous technical criteria and is carried out in partnership with the City Hall. The shelters will undergo technological modernization to become Claro Friendly Shelters, incorporating systems that expand connectivity and increase operational efficiency. The expansion of the project and the definition of new installation points will take place progressively until the end of 2026, respecting weather conditions.
“For us at Claro, it’s a source of pride to put our infrastructure at the service of a project that unites technology and care for people. This partnership represents much more than connecting shelters; it’s about using our network to create more humane, inclusive, and safe urban experiences. Every video call made at a Claro Friendly Shelter is supported by a high-performance fiber and 5G network, ensuring that no one is left helpless in moments of vulnerability,” stated Ane Lopes, Director of Brand and Communication at Claro.
The service operates daily from 20 PM to 5 AM, offering specialized remote assistance to those waiting for public transportation at night. The operators – all women – are trained to maintain video contact, provide support, and monitor waiting times, making the experience more comfortable and welcoming.
According to the municipal secretary of Conservation, Diego Vaz, the choice of locations took into account technical criteria such as passenger flow and points with the greatest demand for urban security.
– The expansion is part of the municipal strategy to improve public spaces and strengthen protection policies, especially those aimed at women.
To ensure even faster and safer service, the project will have the partnership of the Municipality through the Operations and Resilience Center (COR). This collaboration allows for the rapid activation of police forces when necessary.
"Rio gains another ally to improve security and care for its residents. The partnership with the private sector allows us to expand and improve services, with innovative solutions for public spaces," says Osmar Lima, Municipal Secretary of Economic Development.
According to the concessionaire, each unit has high-resolution cameras, high-sensitivity microphones, and powerful speakers, all connected to a monitoring center. The Claro Friendly Shelter was also designed to guarantee universal accessibility: the activation button has Braille identification and is installed at a height of 1,20 meters, facilitating use by wheelchair users, children, and people with disabilities. Remote assistance includes communication in Libras (Brazilian Sign Language), and the offering of subtitles during calls is in the implementation phase.
According to José Carlos Angelucci Jr., CRO of Eletromidia, the expansion of the project to Rio de Janeiro reinforces the company's commitment to actively contributing to more humane and safe cities.
– The Claro Friendly Shelter project translates, in practice, the role that out-of-home advertising can play beyond communication, also assuming a relevant social function. Being in Rio de Janeiro, a city of great visibility and urban complexity, expands the reach and power of the initiative. We want each media point to also be a point of welcome, attention and care, strengthening the support network for the population and contributing to a safer and more inclusive urban space – says the executive.
Positive impact and national expansion
The Abrigo Amigo Claro (Clear Friend Shelter) is a public-private partnership that transforms bus stops into support and shelter spaces, promoting greater safety and well-being on nighttime public transport, especially for women.
Daily, from 20 PM to 5 AM, users can press a button on the digital panel to initiate a video call with a monitoring center, without needing to identify themselves. The service is provided by a team of 30 women trained to offer qualified support in vulnerable situations.
Created with the agency AlmapBBDO and launched in August 2023, the project has already registered more than 40.700 calls and 2.100 incidents in various Brazilian cities. In 2025, with Claro as the exclusive sponsor, the initiative tripled in size, going from 82 to 298 shelters, with a goal of reaching 635 units by 2027.
This action is part of a set of social initiatives supported by Claro and gains even more relevance given data showing that 97% of Brazilian women fear experiencing violence while commuting, reinforcing the importance of solutions that increase safety in urban spaces.
The Abrigo Amigo project joins other social initiatives supported by Claro, such as the "Women + Tech - Connection for New Beginnings" project, in partnership with UN Women, which will empower 1.300 women in vulnerable situations in 10 Brazilian capitals.
According to a study by the Senate Legislative Consulting Office (2024), 97% of Brazilian women fear experiencing violence while traveling, including on public transport. The survey also indicates that a woman suffers harassment every 1,5 seconds in the country, reinforcing the relevance of initiatives such as the Claro Friendly Shelter.
About Claro
Claro is the largest telecommunications group in Latin America and one of the largest multi-service operators in Brazil, present in all regions of the country. It operates in more than 4.800 Brazilian municipalities, and its networks provide services to approximately 98% of the population. Claro offers integrated solutions for connectivity, entertainment, productivity, and digital services in a truly convergent way, across various fixed and mobile platforms. In 2019, the company created beOn Claro, its innovation hub, to facilitate, enhance, and connect innovation within and outside the company. Claro is a leader in pay TV and the fastest-growing mobile service operator. Through the Claro Empresas brand, it also leads the business services segment, which includes cloud, telecom, IT, and network and application security offerings. The operator also has Claro 5G available in regions of all states and the Federal District. According to measurements by Speedtest®, Claro has the fastest internet in Brazil on both 5G and Wi-Fi. Claro's 5G network is the fastest in Brazil and offers the best latency, the best 5G gaming experience, and the best video streaming experience on Brazil's 5G network. Claro is part of América Móvil, with a presence in 25 countries in Latin America, as well as in Europe and the United States.
About Eletromidia
Eletromidia reaches approximately 60 million people monthly through more than 90 touchpoints, 70 of which are digital assets – the largest digital inventory in the country. We deliver content, services, and experiences with the purpose of generating a positive impact on society through the transformation of cities. We are the only company in the sector operating in six out-of-home verticals – streets, buildings, shopping malls, airports, transportation, and, more recently, thanks to our partnership with Azul Linhas Aéreas, in-flight media – present in the 11 largest markets in Brazil. We are a Grupo Globo company, expanding our capacity to innovate and transform the advertising ecosystem.
News
