"The Government of Maharashtra has devised an innovative model of using existing infrastructure for the WiFi project," said a senior state government official.
The state government's ambitious 'public WiFi' project in Mumbai may involve a model in which users will get free internet access for a certain number of minutes or data limit, after which, it will be a paid service. The system will be rolled out using the infrastructure created for the Mumbai CCTV surveillance project.
"The Government of Maharashtra has devised an innovative model of using existing infrastructure for the WiFi project," said a senior state government official.
"We have already laid down fiber cable for it (CCTV network). As the fiber already exists, we just have to purchase the bandwidth and equipment. So, there won't be any need of new poles and (fresh) digging," he added, claiming that the project would see one of the fastest roll-out of public WiFi by a state government.
Explaining the model that the state government was going to adopt, the official said, "The government is evaluating the model based on the expense involve. We may allow free internet access to some GBs or minutes, after which, services will have to be paid for."
Last week, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that Mumbai would get high-speed WiFi coverage by May, 2017, equipped with 1,200 hotspots. The project, which will see 500 zones being by November, will also open up possibilities for the use of this technology for smart solutions in parking and public transport.
The official added that the WiFi project would cover all municipal wards and tourist spots like Gateway of India, Girgaum Chowpatty, Juhu beach and even slum clusters where the CCTVs were set up. "If we want to cover additional spots, we can just install poles and extend the fibre," he said, stating that however, the emphasis needed to be on giving WiFi coverage at limited spots but with high speeds.
"We conducted a feasibility study for a month and realised that speed of up to 20 mbps was possible," he added, stating that the number of people who could be connected to a WiFi hotspot would depend on the installed equipment. Speed testing is being undertaken at over 100 spots after which, equipment will be purchased and installed.
The project is expected to be executed by the newly-formed state Information Technology (IT) Corporation. The state will also float open tenders for an annual maintenance contract (AMC).
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "wifi")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}