Keeping with the smart city initiative, Google has now been awarded the Wi-Fi deal in Pune as part of the SPV formed.
Google in collaboration with companies like IBM, Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and RailTel has been awarded the Wi-Fi deal by Pune Smart City Development Corporation Limited (PSCSCL), a special purpose (SPV) vehicle formed for the smart city mission in the city. The latest contract is valued at Rs 150 crore, and includes capital expenditure, operating expenditure and revenue sharing elements.
As part of the contract, Google will help monetize the city Wi-Fi network, and will deploy Google Station platform, which has Wi-Fi network management capability, and focuses on monetisation to make Wi-Fi self-sustainable. RailTel, on the other hand, will provide last-mile fiber connectivity on need basis to enable Wi-Fi hotspots at around 200 strategic locations across the city.
Speaking about the project, Kunal Kumar, Pune Municipal Commissioner, Pune, said, “The work order was given on January 6 this year…15-20% revenue generated through this city-wide Wi-Fi network will be shared with the authority. The plan is to integrate all public places on a single platform to aggregate Wi-Fi hotspots that will allow access with one-time authentication.”
