Tata Teleservices today launched its wi-fi service, at the Delhi airport's domestic and international terminals. This initiative will enable travellers to access high-speed wireless broadband service through their laptops and handheld devices. | |
| "Delhi is the first airport to have wi-fi service. We will launch it at seven airports across the country," Naresh Malhan, chief operating officer of Tata Teleservices, said. |
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| The seven airports are Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Pune, Hyderabad, and Ahmedabad. The company had got the contract for the Delhi airport about a year ago. |
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| Talks with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to start wi-fi service in the Chennai and Bangalore airports were in advanced stages, Malhan added. |
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| The service will be available at Rs 30 for half an hour at the domestic airport, and at Rs 60 for the same duration at the international airport. For a 60-minute surfing card, the charges will be Rs 50 at the domestic airport and Rs 100 at the international airport. |
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| "We are planning to launch special pre-paid cards of Rs 500 or Rs 1,000, which can be used in all the wi-fi spots in the country," said Sanjay Singhal, head (Wireless LAN and Broadband Solutions), Tata Infotech Ltd. Tata Infotech has offered the technological solutions for this wi-fi initiative. |
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| Tata Tele has invested about Rs 20 lakh to set up the infrastructure. |
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| It would have to pay the AAI Rs 50,000 a month for these services. "The operating expenditure, however, would be high for the leased-line charges and other fixed costs. We are expecting to achieve the break-even from this segment in 12 months," Malhan said. |
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| Travellers can browse the Internet through their wi-fi-enabled laptops. |
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| The company will provide special access cards (PCMCI card) to travellers in case their laptop is not wi-fi-enabled. |
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