The Arvind Kejriwal Government will reportedly provide full WiFi coverage in two years and set up about 700 WiFi hotspots by February next year in the national Capital. The Government plans to provide WiFi coverage in the entire city in the next two years.
Parliamentary Secretary to the city’s IT Minister Adarsh Shastri said the budgetary allocation for the WiFi services would be done in June and tenders for these services would be issued by July. “The first phase comprising 600-700 WiFi hotspots will be rolled by February 2016. The WiFi coverage in entire Delhi will be done in two years.” The ruling AAP had promised free WiFi service in the city during its Assembly election campaigning. But the industry players have been questioning the business model adopted by the city administration for the sustainability of WiFi operations in Delhi.
Shastri said that the city administration had various programmes that need Internet connectivity for which the State Government would pay. “There are a number of sites of Delhi Government where telecom companies can install their equipment and in lieu provide free access to public.” Shastri said: “If the Government sites are given out for advertisements, it will fetch Government revenue to the tune of Rs20 crore per month. At any given point, you can have 4 million smartphones connected to WiFi. This can bring huge revenue model for companies. I have nowhere seen such big scale as in Delhi.”