Chennai, August 9: Visitors to Chennai’s famous beaches will soon enjoy free internet access. The Greater Chennai Corporation plans to install 107 new smart poles equipped with Wi-Fi along the city’s coastlines.
This expanded public Wi-Fi service is expected to launch in September, offering each user up to 45 minutes of free internet daily.
As part of this initiative, 75 new Wi-Fi poles will be set up at Marina Beach, while 20 will be installed in Besant Nagar and 10 in Thiruvanmiyur, all provided by Airtel.
The entire cost of these facilities will be covered by service providers as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
In 2021, the Greater Chennai Corporation had already installed Wi-Fi smart poles at 49 locations in the city. At that time, users received 30 minutes of free internet after OTP verification. However, connectivity issues arose over time, leading to complaints that while mobile networks connected, the internet service was unreliable.
Reliable internet access at beaches is increasingly necessary, as crowded areas see people needing to make internet calls, send messages, book cabs, make digital payments, or connect with family.
To improve the system, the corporation will also overhaul approximately 2,600 older smart poles installed throughout the city. These poles are located in around 900 spots, including public parks, hospitals, and government offices.
Internet service providers have been instructed to repair damaged infrastructure and ensure better connectivity.
According to Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner G.S. Sameeran, ACT Fibernet and Reliance Jio currently oversee 38 Wi-Fi poles at Marina and Besant Nagar beaches. The corporation has requested private companies to expand the public Wi-Fi coverage and has also asked ACT Fibernet for usage data to understand how people are utilizing the service.
As the network expands, cybersecurity will also pose a significant challenge. There are calls for stringent measures to prevent hacking, data theft, and other security breaches on open public networks.
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