WiFi zones estimated to cost Rs 5.2 million

The government’s plan to install wireless fidelity (WiFi) networks across Mauritius and Rodrigues is gradually taking shape. The project, which is expected to be completed by the first week of December, is estimated to cost Rs 5.2 million.

As announced earlier by the minister of Information and Communication Technology, Tassarajen Pillay Chedumbrum, 10 locations have already been identified. These include five municipal councils, four district councils and one site in Rodrigues.

Chedumbrum held a meeting with the key players concerned at his office on Tuesday to further discuss the project.

Minister of Local Government and Outer Islands, Hervé Aimée, as well as representatives of the municipal and district councils and the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (ICTA), were present for the meeting.

“It is a continuity of the government programme to make Internet a citizen’s basic right,” said Chedumbrum. He highlighted that people who do not have laptops have also been taken into consideration and the service providers will have to install at least five user access terminals.

“The bandwidth allocation per site will initially have a capacity of minimum 2MB but will be increased over time. The distribution of Internet from the WiFi zones will cover up to a distance of around 1 km,” underlined the minister.

The project is funded by the Universal Service Fund, under the ICTA.

The WiFi zones will later be extended to other locations, including schools, public buildings, malls, government offices, bus stations and public beaches