Just when we thought that BSNL has run out of innovative ideas the company has invested a whopping sum of Rs 6,000 crores to set-up 40,000 Wi-Fi hotspots across the nation. The state run company will be floating a tender next month and the project is expected to be complete by 2018.
BSNL flagged off the project by inaugurating Wi-Fi facility at Taj Mahal and the service will soon be extended to all the famous tourist spots. Ravi Shankar Prasad elaborated that “BSNL will set up 40,000 Wi-Fi hotspots across the country and the project is most likely to be completed by 2018”
BSNL will be initially offering 30-minutes of free Wi-Fi service for every 24-hours valid for three times in a month. Post the free usage BSNL will charge a modest Rs.20 for validity of 30 minutes, Rs. 30 for validity of 60 minutes, Rs. 50 for validity of 120 minutes and Rs 70 for a day pass.
The Wi-Fi hotspots will be a boon for travelers and will also help BSNL earn revenue by pushing in local content. Most of the tourist places in India lack a proper Wi-Fi connectivity and it won't be surprising if private telecom operators jump into the public Wi-Fi bandwagon.
