Google has won the mandate to offer citywide WiFi in Pune, in collaboration with IBM, L&T and RailTel, reports the Economic Times. The mandate was provided by the Pune Smart City Development Corporation (PSCSCL), a special purpose vehicle, under the smart city mission. According to the report, the contract is valued at Rs 150 crore including expenditure and revenue sharing and will look to launch 200 hotspots in the city. About 15-20% of generated revenues will be shared with the government. Google will be responsible for deploying Google Station platform for WiFi network management, while RailTel will provide the last-mile fiber connectivity. Note that it’s not clear at what exact venues these hotspots will be deployed, but given its pretty much an extension of the RailTel service, we expect it will cost the same for consumers. Interestingly, Google, RailTel and L&T are also working on variable message displays (VMD) that can deliver public announcements to city folk across 161 locations. L&T further states that it will also establish emergency call boxes, public drop boxes and environmental sensors, which Google will help monetize. IBM will help L&T set up a Smart City Operation Center (SCOC) to integrate various smart city initiatives under a single platform. For now, the center will integrate 49 apps, although it's not clear which ones. Smart cities in Maharashtra: Other than Pune, Maharashtra has several entrants to the Government’s Smart City Mission including Thane, Kalyan-Dombivli, Nagpur, Nashik and Solapur already getting approval for the Center’s funds. The…
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