NEW DELHI: Each and every resident in the national capital will be able to avail 15 GB worth of free mobile internet data by 2020, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Wednesday.
It is being seen as fructification of a promise made the CM before taking office. Implementation will begin from December 16 when 100 such hotspots will be opened to the browsing public. With the Assembly elections drawing close, the move will enable the CM deliver on one of the key promises in the manifesto of the Aam Aadmi Party.
“Providing free Wi-Fi access to the people was one of our key promises. In this day and age, when mobile connectivity and digital coverage have become the norm, minimum data usage is a crying need of the people. Hence, considering the importance of the internet in our day-to-day lives, we have decided to create Wi-Fi hotspots, enabling free mobile connectivity,” the CM said.
According to government sources, of the total 11,000 hotspots to be developed across the city, 4,000 hotspots will be opened at bus stands. The remaining 7,000 hotspots will be created at marketplaces and RWAs in the city. Each Assembly constituency will get 100 Wi-Fi hotspots.
Smartphone users would be able to avail free Wi-Fi connectivity every 500 metres, as the hotspots would operate on a radius of 100 metres. While on an average, the maximum speed for mobile internet browsing will be 200 Mbps, the estimated speed at each hotspot will be between 100 and 150 Mbps. Each hotspot will be able to support 150-200 users simultaneously.
“Free Wi-Fi accessibility will help students a great deal, while also being beneficial to those employed in the health and education sectors. With the amount of information available on the internet today, I’m sure people will make full use of these hotspots,” the CM said.