Tata Tele launches wi-fi service at Delhi airport

Tata Teleservices today launched its wi-fi service, at the Delhi airport's domestic and international terminals. This initiative will enable travellers to access high-speed wireless broadband service through their laptops and handheld devices.

"Delhi is the first airport to have wi-fi service. We will launch it at seven airports across the country," Naresh Malhan, chief operating officer of Tata Teleservices, said.

The seven airports are Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Pune, Hyderabad, and Ahmedabad. The company had got the contract for the Delhi airport about a year ago.

Talks with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to start wi-fi service in the Chennai and Bangalore airports were in advanced stages, Malhan added.

The service will be available at Rs 30 for half an hour at the domestic airport, and at Rs 60 for the same duration at the international airport. For a 60-minute surfing card, the charges will be Rs 50 at the domestic airport and Rs 100 at the international airport.

"We are planning to launch special pre-paid cards of Rs 500 or Rs 1,000, which can be used in all the wi-fi spots in the country," said Sanjay Singhal, head (Wireless LAN and Broadband Solutions), Tata Infotech Ltd. Tata Infotech has offered the technological solutions for this wi-fi initiative.

Tata Tele has invested about Rs 20 lakh to set up the infrastructure.

It would have to pay the AAI Rs 50,000 a month for these services. "The operating expenditure, however, would be high for the leased-line charges and other fixed costs. We are expecting to achieve the break-even from this segment in 12 months," Malhan said.

Travellers can browse the Internet through their wi-fi-enabled laptops.

The company will provide special access cards (PCMCI card) to travellers in case their laptop is not wi-fi-enabled.