Google and Indian Railways Will Soon Provide Free WiFi at 400 Railway Stations

Isn't it great when we get to access the internet for free while waiting for flights at some airports? Very soon, we can experience the same luxury at some railways stations as well. According to reports, Google is partnering with Indian Railways to set up WiFi hotspots at 400 key stations across the country.

By Tanaya Singh

September 14, 2015

Isn’t it great when we get to access the internet for free while waiting for flights at some airports? Very soon, we can experience the same luxury at some railways stations as well. According to reports, Google is partnering with Indian Railways to set up WiFi hotspots at 400 key stations across the country.

Indian Railways sure seems to be taking the lead when it comes to the country going the digital route. If all goes as planned, a recent move will turn 400 railway stations in the country into high speed WiFi zones.

Tech giant Google will partner with the Railways to make this initiative possible. All in all, this is happy news for the millions of passengers who travel on Indian trains every day.

Photo Credit: Robert Scoble/Flickr

Google is collaborating with the state-run RailTel Corporation of India, a PSU which has a pan-India fiber-optic network that runs along railway tracks in both urban and rural regions. RailTel will work with Google on the platform and infrastructure development.

According to a report by Telecomtalk, this project will be given shape with the help of Google Fiber, a technology which is well known among tech enthusiasts for providing fast broadband services in USA.

This initiative is being called ‘Project Nilgiri,’ and the first phase will involve setting up WiFi hotspots across selected railways stations.

Once everything is in place, users will be able to access high speed internet, free of cost, for the first 30 minutes at the stations.

For this, their mobile number will be verified with the help of a one time password sent via text message. After 30 minutes the speed of connection will reduce but connectivity will remain.

The project will be carried out in phases and it is expected that the first phase will be completed in about four months from now.

Photo Credit: Himanshu Sarpotdar/Flickr

The second phase will involve working on providing WiFi access inside moving trains. As of now, Indian Railways provides WiFi inside some moving trains like Rajdhani Express, with the help of satellite communication technology.

Earlier this year, it was also reported that Google will set up its biggest facility outside of the US in Hyderabad. According to an agreement signed with Telangana IT minister KT Rama Rao, Google will invest Rs. 1,000 crore in the approximately 7-acre campus in the state.

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