India’s telecom regulator wants to provide wi-fi hotspots, internet at 2 paise to public. This is what it is planning
Advertisement
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is exploring different plans to provide high-speed internet to the public. It also wants to deploy wi-fi hotspots across the country for the common man.
In this regard, the TRAI is planning to allow individuals, entrepreneurs and content and application providers to offer affordable and high-speed internet to the public.
This will boost its plan to provide wi-fi across country and lessening the burden on the telecom players.
"We see mass-scale Wi-Fi deployment as a means to democratise the penetration of affordable good-speed internet across urban cities and rural areas," top officials at Trai told TOI.
The plan is to provide internet for 2 paise per MB against the existing rates of around 10 paise in the mobile telecom market.
"The recommendations will be sent to the telecom ministry very soon for necessary changes in the licensing and other rules," one source told TOI.
The telecom regulator wants people to get easy access to the internet at low cost by bringing in intermediaries.
TRAI has maintained wi-fi technology holds much promise for a country like India which wants to achieve universal access to information and communication technologies for its population, both in densely-populated urban areas as well as remote rural areas, where the telephone or cable infrastructure are not yet fully deployed.
An official told TOI the costs of setting up Wi-Fi infrastructure are lower when compared to mobile broadband networks like 2G, 3G and 4G as the technology utilizes unlicensed spectrum and equipment is cheaper and more readily available. Also, its maintenance and operational costs are significantly lower.
"For India to reach a goal of one hotspot for every 150 people (current global average), 8 lakh additional hotspots will have to be installed," Trai said.
Advertisement
In this regard, the TRAI is planning to allow individuals, entrepreneurs and content and application providers to offer affordable and high-speed internet to the public.
This will boost its plan to provide wi-fi across country and lessening the burden on the telecom players.
"We see mass-scale Wi-Fi deployment as a means to democratise the penetration of affordable good-speed internet across urban cities and rural areas," top officials at Trai told TOI.
The plan is to provide internet for 2 paise per MB against the existing rates of around 10 paise in the mobile telecom market.
Advertisement
The telecom regulator wants people to get easy access to the internet at low cost by bringing in intermediaries.
TRAI has maintained wi-fi technology holds much promise for a country like India which wants to achieve universal access to information and communication technologies for its population, both in densely-populated urban areas as well as remote rural areas, where the telephone or cable infrastructure are not yet fully deployed.
An official told TOI the costs of setting up Wi-Fi infrastructure are lower when compared to mobile broadband networks like 2G, 3G and 4G as the technology utilizes unlicensed spectrum and equipment is cheaper and more readily available. Also, its maintenance and operational costs are significantly lower.
"For India to reach a goal of one hotspot for every 150 people (current global average), 8 lakh additional hotspots will have to be installed," Trai said.
Advertisement
- A couple accidentally shipped their cat in an Amazon return package. It arrived safely 6 days later, hundreds of miles away.
- A centenarian who starts her day with gentle exercise and loves walks shares 5 longevity tips, including staying single
- 2 states where home prices are falling because there are too many houses and not enough buyers
- "To sit and talk in the box...!" Kohli's message to critics as RCB wrecks GT in IPL Match 45
- 7 Nutritious and flavourful tiffin ideas to pack for school
- India's e-commerce market set to skyrocket as the country's digital economy surges to USD 1 Trillion by 2030
- Top 5 places to visit near Rishikesh
- Indian economy remains in bright spot: Ministry of Finance
- JNK India IPO allotment date
- JioCinema New Plans
- Realme Narzo 70 Launched
- Apple Let Loose event
- Elon Musk Apology
- RIL cash flows
- Charlie Munger
- Feedbank IPO allotment
- Tata IPO allotment
- Most generous retirement plans
- Broadcom lays off
- Cibil Score vs Cibil Report
- Birla and Bajaj in top Richest
- Nestle Sept 2023 report
- India Equity Market