Aircel, has started its WiFi service, which enables users to surf net while in a WiFi hotspot and the billing will be through the users Aircel mobile connections prepaid or postpaid account.
The integrated billing with the mobile connection is the most important part of the offering, as user will not need to share their credit card details to use the service.
Currently the service is available across 50,000 hotspots across Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore and Hydrabad.
Spectranet, whose network Aircel is using for this service, is also in the process of inking agreement with three other operators to offer similar service.
Spectranet spokesperson said “Aircel is our partner for billing and marketing purpose, we are also in final stages of inking a deal with three other operators who will also offer similar services through our network”.
Wifi browsing on Aircel is free till 20th February 2011, after which it will be charged at Rs 15 per hour, with a fair usage of 30 MB per hour and if a user exceeds 30 MB quota then the user need to initiate the Password process again.
The password process is simple, The Aircel Wifi appears as an open network named ‘Airnet_Spectranet’. Once the Aircel subscriber select it and type in a URL, they are taken to the Aircel Wifi login page appears.
Then the user need to enter their Aircel Mobile number and e-mail address. An authorization code (password) is sent to the subscribers Aircel mobile number, which they need to enter to use the WiFi.
Spectranet also said that these three operators unlike Aircel will also offer services in residential areas.
Spectranet is in expansion mode and is in the final stages of starting this service in Pune and Kolkotta. Network is also being deployed in Chandigarh, and will start before March.
It is also adding 20,000 residential flats to its network every month across all these cities, and aims to have a 5 lakh flats by the next year end. These numbers are apart from commercial areas that the company will be adding to its network.
Spectranet spokesperson added “We are enabling 10mbps speed in each hotspot right now, user experience will depend on how many users are access the network and what speed operator wants to allow, even greater speeds can be delivered if the demand is there”.
The formal announcements are expected by end of the day today. We will keep you posted if there is more to the story.