Two ghats in Varanasi – Dashashwamedh Ghat & Shitala Ghats – have received free Wi-Fi service via BSNL. Ravi Shankar Prasad, Minister of Communications and IT, inaugurated the Wi-Fi hotspot zones.
BSNL will be providing free Wi-Fi service for 30 minutes per 24 hours. After 30 minutes, users will need to purchase top ups priced at Rs. 20, Rs 30, Rs 50 and Rs 70 for validity of 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 120 minutes respectively.
The telecom operator also plans to expand Wi-Fi coverage to other popular ghats in the city by end of this month. Moreover, BSNL plans to invest about Rs. 60 crore to improve its mobile network in the city. The operator will be focussing on its IP, 2G and 3G networks.
It's notable the government is planning to make set up public Wi-Fi in 25 cities by June 2015 as part of its Digital India initiative. The government is expected to empanel three to four Wi-Fi service providers in order to gain flexibility needed to ensure that a speedy roll-out takes place by June 2015. The project is jointly being worked by the Department of Telecom and Ministry of Urban Development.
So far, New Delhi's Connaught Place and Khan Market areas have received free public Wi-Fi service.
As part of Digital India mission, the government plans to connect all 2.5 lakhs Panchayats through brodband. Idukki in Kerala has become the first district in India to get high speed rural broadband connectivity under the government's Digital India project.
Read: How Digital India initiative can revive the education sector
Image and story source:DDiNews