The state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) has firmed up its plan to provide Wi-Fi connectivity to 82 more villages of the district by the end of the current fiscal.

The telecom major has so far provided Wi-Fi services in 18 villages. Also, the new 82 villages will get Wi-Fi connectivity with 4G speed. Moreover, BSNL has already connected 607 village panchayats in the district with Optical Fibre Cable (OBC).

This was the scheme of the Department of Telecom (DoT) that was implemented through BSNL. The funds for OFC project was provided by DoT.

“Altogether 611 of over 1,500 villages in the district had been identified by the DoT for connecting with OFC under the first phase of the central government’s scheme. So far, 607 villages have been connected with OFC. Around 1,231-km of OFC have been laid down entailing a cost of around Rs 300 per metre,” Nitin Mahajan, BSNL general manager, said.

He added that at present the focus of BSNL is to provide Wi-Fi services with 4G speed in the villages. “A hotspot covers a radius of 300 metre that almost covers the entire village. We have set a target of providing Wi-Fi connectivity in 100 villages during the current fiscal,” Mahajan said.

Moreover, BSNL is also setting up 167 mobile towers with new advanced technology in the district in order to provide good connectivity. Of these 60 mobile towers are to be erected in Nashik city, while remaining 107 are to be in rural parts of the district.

Currently, there are a total of 464 mobile towers across the district, including 160 in Nashik city. Of total 464 mobile towers in the district, 194 towers have been upgraded from 2G to 3G, while remaining towers are awaiting upgradation in a phased manner.