Rammanahalli becomes first Karnataka village to come under WiFi net

Director, Consumer Fixed Access, BSNL, Vivek Banzal launches WiFi services under Public Data Office at Rammanahalli on the outskirts of Mysuru recently. BSNL Chief General Manager Devesh Kumar and Senior General Manager Rajkumar are seen. Credit: DH Photo

Director, Consumer Fixed Access, BSNL, Vivek Banzal launches WiFi services under Public Data Office at Rammanahalli on the outskirts of Mysuru recently. BSNL Chief General Manager Devesh Kumar and Senior General Manager Rajkumar are seen. Credit: DH Photo

Officials of BSNL and Leap Technologies near the control room of the Public Data Office at Rammanahalli, on the outskirts of Mysuru, recently. Credit: DH Photo

Rammanahalli, on Mahadevapura Road, on the outskirts of Mysuru, has become the first village in Karnataka, to entirely come under WiFi internet coverage.

With the establishment of a Public Data Office (PDO), the entire village has become a cost-effective WiFi zone, with high-speed internet, provided by Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), an Union government-owned telecommunications service provider.

Launching the services at MGR Enterprises in the village on March 1, Vivek Banzal, Director, Consumer Fixed Access, BSNL, said, “There are WiFi services at several places. But, this is the first time, the entire village has been provided the facility. The people of the village can get high-speed internet at a lesser price.”

For rural areas

Chief General Manager, Karnataka Circle, Devesh Kumar said, if the project becomes successful, it would be extended to other villages. It is an ambitious project of the BSNL that benefits rural people, he said.

BSNL has installed eight PDOs, with 32 Access Point Interfaces (API), to cover the entire Rammanahalli. The PDO connectivity is through optic fibre network. The WiFi signals will be available in a radius of 150 metres, around each API or hotspot. The people of Rammanahalli can access seamless internet (up to 50 Mbps speed), by recharging with different plan vouchers. They can use the facility on their mobile phones, laptops, computers and smart TV sets – only one device at a time. Vouchers can be bought physically at BSNL or mobile recharge outlets and also online. Prior to the roll out and installation of APIs, a survey was conducted in the village, to identify potential black spots and to bring such areas also under the network.

50 Mbps speed

Speaking to DH, BSNL Senior General Manager Rajkumar said, contrary to the opinion that BSNL network is slow, the village will get 50 Mbps speed internet. “It will not be slowed down even if there are many users for each API. The project was taken up by the BSNL in association with Leap Technologies and Public Wi-Fi Partner (PWP) United Tech Solutions. As this is a pilot project, we chose Rammanahalli, which is easily accessible and also nearby. We will try this model here. Once it becomes successful, we will extend it to other villages,” he said.

“There are various plans to access the BSNL WiFi from the PDO, with phone numbers of any network. The costs are: Rs 9 for 1 GB, with one day validity; Rs 19 for 2 GB, 2 days validity; Rs 39 for 7 GB, 7 days validity; Rs 59 for 15 GB, 15 days validity; and Rs 69 for 30 GB, 30 days validity,” he said.

Experiment

Madhu, a representative of Leap Technologies, said, there were PDOs earlier also, in villages of Pandavapura taluk of Mandya district, and villages of T Narasipur and Nanjangud taluks in Mysuru district. But in such places, the APIs were limited and the users had to move into their range, to access WiFi.

“Rammanahalli is different, as it gets an umbrella coverage and the users can use WiFi internet from any point in the village. Similar umbrella coverage is usually provided on campuses of educational institutions. On March 1 itself a similar network was launched at the College of Horticulture in Yalachahalli, on the outskirts of Mysuru. A similar network would be provided on the campus of Chamarajanagar Institute of Medical Sciences at Yadapura, on the outskirts of Chamarajanagar, shortly,” he said.

WFH, online classes

Madhu said while other service providers charge over Rs 50 for 3 GB data, BSNL provides 30 GB data for just Rs 69, with a validity for 30 days. Following the Covid-19 outbreak, resulting in lockdowns and restrictions, work from home (WFH) has become a norm. Over 60% of WFH happens from rural areas. It will be useful for students as well, as academics has shifted to online mode, of late. Thus, the BSNL WiFi PDOs have come as a boon to all sections of the people,” he said.

According to BSNL officials, the rollout of PDOs is an initiative to improve digital connectivity in rural India, touted to be a game changer for economic activities and social life, besides giving a boost to the education and health sectors. BSNL Bharat Fibre or Bharat AirFibre Broadband are used for the PDOs, to serve the end users through BSNL WiFi Hotspots.

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