Biju Patnaik domestic terminal in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Sanjib Mukherjee

Bhubaneswar, July 9: Biju Patnaik International Airport is going to offer free Wi-fi service on its premises for passengers waiting for flights, so that they can use laptops, notepads and smart phones.

Airport sources said the service would be complimentary and help travellers use Internet services much better.

The Wi-fi service will be available in and around the new domestic terminal (T1), at the international terminal (T2), near the airport director’s office and the airport terminals. The Wi-fi technology uses radio waves to send the signals just like mobile phones, television and radio to maintain high-speed Internet connections, so that an integration can be built among the phones, computers, printers, cameras and even digital home Internet systems.

To get the Wi-fi service, one has to have a password to become a user in the local network. The user can get a password from the terminal manager and log on to the Internet and use the World Wide Web. Once the traveller finishes work or goes out of the range of the service area, the service will automatically become logged off.

Airport director Sharad Kumar said: “We have already awarded a contract to a leading mobile infrastructure provider, which will put up the machines and routers on our premises, so that there will be uninterrupted Internet service available in the airport area within a month or six weeks from now.”

Frequent traveller Debashish Mohapatra said: “Many airports in the world are providing free Wi-fi service and several are charging money after a free time of 30 minutes or 45. However, the decision of the airport authorities here at the city airport to have the service free of charge will come as a bonus for the air travellers.”

The Wi-fi enabled premises of the city airport will herald a new era along with other services such as baby care centres, a cloak room, spa, multi-cuisine restaurant, gift and souvenir shops and exclusive outlets of handicraft and hand-loom products. The Airports Authority of India is also planning to have a budget hotel and a mall near the T1 to facilitate better and convenient travel for the air travellers.