The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had released a consultation paper on “Proliferation of Broadband through Public Wi-Fi Networks” on 13th July 2016. The plan is to provide broadband access to the underserved across the country by making public Wi-Fi hotspots commonly available. The proposal will help to provide Wi-Fi access at the grassroots and generate a stream of revenue to local shopkeepers and unemployed youth.
Now, TRAI has released a consultation note as a result of the deliberations conducted after the release of the consultation paper. The consultation note seeks views on a model of deployment of an interoperable and scalable nation-wide public Wi-Fi network. The note also seeks to explore whether the model can be incorporated in public Wi-Fi to promote appropriate business models for sustainable development.
Public Wi-Fi Hotspots – Benefits
- It will help in reducing the burden on the telecom spectrum as the availability of spectrum is scarce to provide connectivity to everyone.
- It can be complementary to existing wired and wireless broadband infrastructure to achieve the vision of Digital India.
- It can effectively serve in densely congested urban areas as well as in indoor locations, where the signal for mobile connectivity may be weak.
- Possible ubiquitous seamless internet connectivity.
- It can provide Over-The-Top applications and services.