The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on December 2, i.e. Thursday announced the launch of free highspeed Wi-FI facility for passengers travelling on the Airport Express Line or Orange Line of the Delhi Metro. A DMRC press release announced the launch and elaborated that free internet connectivity will now be available to all passengers on board the Airport Line, which runs from Dwarka Sec-21 to the airport terminals and back. The Airport Express Line or the Orange Line runs from the New Delhi metro station to Dwarka Sector-21, linking Indira Gandhi International Airport
According to reports, this makes India the first country in the Southeast Region and among the only few countries in the world to provide internet connectivity to passengers travelling in underground trains. The facility was inaugurated by DMRC Managing Director Dr Mangu Singh on Wednesday.
"With this launch, seamless and free internet connectivity will now be available on board all the Metro trains of the Airport Line apart from stations in the Airport Line where this facility already exists," the release stated, adding, "Passengers on this line will now be able to enjoy all of their standard internet applications like email, Facebook, YouTube, Google Search, Whatsapp, video and audio calls, and more while travelling inside the trains on the Airport Line."
Here is how a passenger can connect to the 'Free Highspeed Wi-Fi' facility onboard the Delhi Metro's Airport Express Line:
According to the DMRC release, passengers will be able to access high-speed free Wi-Fi by simply logging onto the network with the name “METROWIFI_FREE”.
The procedure to connect is:
1. Switch on your phone's Wi-Fi and open the Wi-Fi menu to select a network.
2. Select 'METROWIFI_FREE' network from the list.
3. A pop-up will appear on your screen before you get access to internet connectivity.
4. Follow the pop-up. It will take you to a screen where you have to enter some basic credentials.
5. In the blank provided, enter your phone number if asked.
6. You will receive a One Time Password (OTP) via an SMS message on your number.
7. Enter the OTP in the blank provided as a final step to access the network.
8. Click “Connect”.
9. Enjoy your high-speed internet access throughout the journey.
Reports elaborate that currently, very few metropolitan cities in the world offer the facility for passengers to get access to internet connectivity while travelling underground. At present underground train Wi-Fi connectivity operates at Moscow (Russia), St. Petersburg (Russia), Seoul (Korea) and Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Wuhan and Shanghai (China).
How was this technological feat, providing seamless Wi-Fi underground, achieved? For this purpose, 24 km of Fiber, 7 km of power cable with 44 base stations (Pole as well as Frame type) and other active components along the entire length of the line were laid to ensure that trains never lose Wi-Fi connectivity. According to the DMRC release, every metro train has also been equipped with radios to connect to the trackside network and every car in the train also has wireless access points for passengers to connect to.
