Otis Elevator has joined forces with Next Generation Network and IBM to transmit information from the Internet into elevator cars worldwide.
Before the end of this year, the companies expect to finalise their agreement to provide Internet-based content to elevator passengers, including news, weather, traffic reports, sports scores and information about the building.
The device, called e*Display, will be built into new models of elevators beginning next year and will also be available as an upgrade in the company's more than 1 million existing elevators.
The e*Display service consists of a flat-panel screen installed inside the elevator car. The screen will feature information that will change every five to 10 seconds.
The company is also in talks with advertisers who wish to target the "hundreds of millions of people who spend part of each day riding an Otis elevator," the company said in a statement.