Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) will set up 40,000 Wi-Fi hotspots across the country over the next three years through the public-private-partnership mode.

The tender for the project is likely to be floated by early July and about ₹6,000 crore will be required to complete the project. “The project is likely to be completed by 2018,” Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters.

Locations

According to BSNL, the company will set up another 2,500 Wi-Fi hot spots at 250 locations at a cost of ₹500 crore this year. “We have already installed equipment and have tested in 200 locations, which will be launched by early July,” Anupam Srivastava, Chairman and Managing Director, BSNL, said. The locations include Jagannath Temple at Puri, Marina beach in Chennai, Kovalam beach in Kerala, Khajuraho, Nashik, Fatehpur Sikri and Hamphi by end of this financial year (March 2016).

However, Wi-Fi services will be free only for the first 30 minutes. Later, one can purchase coupons from stalls nearby.

After 30 minutes, a customer can continue using the service on paid basis for which subscription plans are available in the denomination of ₹20, ₹30, ₹50 and ₹70 for validity of 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 120 minutes and one day, respectively.

On asked whether such services would be successful, Srivastava said that this was just the beginning. Once expansions happen, not only tourists, but locals too would utilise services for doing business and attracting more tourists, he said.

“It's a good idea for the global tourists who come here and connect with their families and friends from the Taj. Smartphones users can also video chat instantly with the Taj at the background,” Babett from Germany told BusinessLine .

Another tourist Rita from the US said, “I loved it. I just sent some pictures of the Taj instantly to my relatives back home.”

The writer was in Agra at the invitation of BSNL

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