Digital India: Here's what MTS plans to do

NEW DELHI: Russian conglomerate Sistema JSFC, which operates under MTS brand in India, is planning to roll out a pilot project for the Centre's Rs 7,000 crore Smart City initiative and, as part of the Digital India programme, explore a sustainable business model for monetization of Wi-Fi networks.
MTS, which operates in nine telecom circles, said that it supports Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of Digital India and has capability to replicate the Smart City subsystems it had implemented together with subsidiary Sitronics Cams in Moscow, Sochi, Rostov, Ufa and Makhachkala.
Sitronics, Sistema's systems integration company, offers design, equipment, integrated security and intelligent transportation systems, and specializes in large-scale implementations that include automation for intelligent traffic management across Moscow.
"We would like to use our expertise and start with one or two pilot projects for the Prime Minister's Digital India initiative. We can replicate the Moscow city model here and help de-congest Indian roads as well as provide a more organized traffic management system," Dmitry Shukov, CEO of MTS India, told ET.
He said smart cities will have security cameras deployed across key traffic intersections for a comprehensive monitoring of traffic flow as well as law and order situation. In case of medical emergencies, the central command centre can instantly alert the police and a designated ambulance in the area that in turn can be directed to the nearest hospital, Shukov said.
The telecom operator is also eyeing new Wi-Fi projects and has plans to monetize internet services that it has set up at six railway stations in Ahmedabad, Agra, Varanasi, Mumbai CST, Howrah and Secunderabad.
As part of a broader plan, MTS is currently engaging with partners and government agencies to work out a sustainable business model to ensure monetization of Wi-Fi networks. "We have to treat Wi-Fi as a utility service and we are in talks with RailTel for monetization of this Wi-Fi model. Currently, we do it free of cost. In addition, we have plans to provide additional services via Wi-Fi hotspots," he said.
The company is also exploring the possibility of bringing in new service avenues such as real-time rail information and platform ticketing, and has submitted its proposal to the railways ministry.
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