The pandemic has propelled the adoption of digital platforms among citizens in the country, and it is expected that the demand for internet accessibility will grow by manifolds in the coming years. Installation of Wi-Fi hotspots is an ideal solution to enable more people stay connected and provide the benefits of the internet.
For this reason, the Government of Telangana has commemorated 3000 public Wi-Fi hotspots in Hyderabad as part of the Hy-Fi project. These hotspots are located across the city in malls, hospitals, public parks, metro stations, public libraries, metro stations, educational institutions for easy access. With this launch, Hyderabad has become one of the first cities in India to deploy public wi-fi network on such a large scale. The city now has India’s largest Free Public Wi-Fi Network.
Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary for IT, Industries and Commerce, Govt. of Telangana, told a press gathering: “Hyderabad now has the largest active free public wi-fi network which can be accessed in most of the public locations. Through Hy-Fi, all of Hyderabad can now connect to the internet free of cost and benefit from the opportunities that the digital world provides.”
Part of the State government’s Digital Telangana movement, the Hy-Fi project is in collaboration with ACT Fibernet, which is one of largest wired Internet Service Providers in India. It was the first broadband service provider to bring 1 Giga speed connectivity in India to Hyderabad in 2017.
Each of the 3000 free public Wi-Fi hotspots is powered by ACT SmartFiber™ Technology, that will ensure superfast and safe internet experience. This technology enables users with smooth, seamless connectivity for video content, including calling, streaming, and ultra-fast file transfers on ACT’s Gigabit-enabled network at scale.
Users will have to login through “ACT Free Hy-Fi” portal with their phone number and they can use free internet for 45 minutes at 25 Mbps speed and 1 GB data limit without any cost. They can also top up further as and when needed. Existing customers of ACT, when they login with their ACT credentials, will get their current home broadband speeds.
With the government’s constant push on ‘Digital India’ and making the internet affordable for all, internet penetration is set to reach newer heights in coming years.
