Google Partnering With Indian Railways To Provide Wi-Fi Hotspots: Report

Google Inc. is partnering with state-run Indian Railways to provide Wi-Fi hotspots at more than 400 train stations over the next four months, Telecom Talk reported Thursday, citing people familiar with the plan.

Google is working with state-run RailTel Corporation of India, which has a pan-India fiber-optic network running along railroad tracks that reach as much as 70 percent of India’s population as the network crisscrosses the nation’s cities, towns and villages, the telecom industry news site reported.

Internet access will be free for passengers after the system verifies a user's mobile number with a one-time password sent by text message. However, only the first 30 minutes of usage will be on high-speed Internet, Telecom Talk reported.

The telecom industry news site has also posted a screen grab -- that shows the service is being provided by Google -- of the portal into which passengers have to enter the one-time access code.

In the second phase of the project, Google and Indian Railways will provide high-speed Internet access on moving trains as well, according to the report.