Now anyone in India can book an Uber without downloading its app

Uber is making it easier for more people in India to book cabs on its network. 

The Silicon Valley company announced today that its "Dial an Uber" feature, which lets people book a cab without downloading the app, is now available across all 29 cities in India where it operates. The company had begun testing this feature in India in August.

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With this feature, a user can book a cab by visiting dial.uber.com website on their phone. They do not have to create an Uber account to book a cab, as the feature only requires them to provide their phone number for authentication. They can settle the payment in cash at the end of the trip. (However, that might be a little difficult for many right now).

Though it might not appear as remarkable to many, in India, where feature phones are still more than twice as popular than smartphones, this feature allows Uber to instantly become relevant to hundreds of millions of users. 

“Dial an Uber offers a convenient choice to customers looking to book a ride and is testament to our focus on using our technological edge to make mobility reliable and accessible for everyone,” said Apurva Dalal, Head of Engineering, Uber India in a press release. 

Uber’s India rival app, Ola has also introduced changes to its platform to increase its appeal among Indians. In October, the country’s largest ride-hailing service with presence in over 100 cities, said that people could book a cab on Ola via text messages.