It uses Airtel‘s mobile network to cover all roads across Bangalore and provide real-time updates on traffic to users. Airtel has joined hands with the Karnataka government to jointly develop an urban traffic information system to be made available on mobile phones and through the internet.

Mapunity‘s predictive and analytical algorithms would then develop live traffic information using the various inputs, and these would be made available through Airtel‘s phone network. Airtel has provided the capital expenditure for setting up the micro towers and the data for ‘Travel time estimation‘, based on which Mapunity has designed a predictive algorithm to anchor and co-ordinate technology and output the information.

The Bangalore Transport Information System (BTIS) is governed by what Airtel claims to be the state-of-the-art technology that is based on recording traffic densities in real-time. It will use Airtel‘s mobile network to keep the public informed and updated in order to facilitate and steer towards optimal road choices. BTIS will bring together a wide range of information located on the urban map of Bangalore city and make it accessible to Airtel mobile users in order to facilitate their easy and convenient travel.

How BTIS works:

1) The number of transaction counts from a cell tower is correlated to the number of people within the tower‘s range of detection.

2) The number of people in a given location is correlated with congestion in that location.

3) Therefore, using transaction data, it is possible to establish an indicator for congestion at key locations of interest.

Cell phones / SIM cards on vehicles moving along known routes (e.g. public buses) can be mapped in real time to determine congestion at different points as well as travel times between locations. By this, bus routes and arrival times can also be accessed on the phone.

BTIS services in the pipeline for which Airtel is awaiting the state government‘s nod are:

1. Developing an Integrated Parking Information System to indicate locations and availability of parking spaces.

2. Developing a Route and Passenger Information System for BMTC based on real-time bus locations and traffic speeds.