Fortinet to provide wireless internet access in Mumbai

NEW DELHI: NASDAQ-listed cybersecurity solutions provider Fortinet has announced that the Maharashtra Information Technology Corporation (MITC) has selected its access points to provide wireless Internet access to the citizens of Mumbai.

"Fortinet’s access points provide Wifi Internet access for the public in Mumbai and are deployed in more than 500 locations across the city for the MumbaiWiFi project. The WiFi network is also planned to be used for smart transportation in the near future," a statement said.

"This deployment is part of the state government’s digital empowerment program, and Fortinet beat several other enterprise wireless providers to win the deal. Fortinet is uniquely able to support the technical implementation of this project with a wireless R&D center in Bangalore," it said.

In its first phase of the MumbaiWiFi project, the Maharashtra Government has deployed a combination of Fortinet indoor and outdoor access points with omnidirectional antennas, wireless controllers, and a wireless manager to provide simplified deployment and scaling, voice mobility, and the high performance needs required.

Mumbai is home to 20.5 million people and is the commercial capital and the largest city in India. The Government of Maharashtra launched the MumbaiWiFi project to cover all major areas in the city with public WiFi hotspots to ensure that government services are available online to its citizens

. Later this year, the WiFi network will also be used for smart parking and smart transportation, by providing real-time updates on the routes and available capacity of various modes of public transport in the city. The introduction of Wifi hotspots in Mumbai expands on the government’s vision of making Maharashtra the country’s first digital state.