123Pune.com

Mumbai/Pune, April 1 (PTI): Taking a leap over Bangalore and Hyderabad, Pune will become the first Indian city to have a high-speed wireless Internet network even before the Centre's much-awaited spectrum policy is announced.

The ambitious project, when complete, will enable people to access the Internet from anywhere in the city, without a cable, through their laptops or personal digital assistants (PDAs).

Christened "Unwiring Pune", the project was jointly announced by global chip-maker Intel Corporation and Pune Municipal Corporation in March 2006 and will be kick-started on Monday.

Intel, along with Chennai-based Microsense, will establish infrastructure for a wireless communication network covering the entire 280 sq km of this cultural centre of Maharashtra in a couple of years.

While Intel will provide design and planning support, Microsense will carry out network deployment. Microsense was involved in establishing a wireless Internet network at the airport here.

Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, Intel managing director (South Asia) R Sivakumar, Pune Mayor Rajlaxmi Bhosale and others will flag off the project.

The technology used will be Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, commonly known as WiMAX, and wireless fidelity or wi-fi.

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/008200704011321.htm