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Tag: Wi-Fi

  • vivo V50 5G – First Impressions and Bajaj Finserv Offers

    vivo V50 5G – First Impressions and Bajaj Finserv Offers

    Stylish design and impressive camera performance are two strong points of vivo’s V series smartphones, and the latest V50 5G is no different. The vivo V50 5G was launched on 17th February 2025 as the successor to the vivo V40. This mobile phone offers a seamless blend of looks, power, and impressive camera performance. Equipped with a Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset, powerful ZEISS shooters, and an all-day 6,000 mAh battery, the vivo V50 5G is just the mid-range power-performer you need to step into the 5G world.

    While the V50 5G prices start from Rs. 34,999, you can shop for this handset without having to splurge the entire amount upfront. Instead, you can shop for it on the Bajaj Finserv EMI Network on Easy EMIs to lighten the burden on your pocket.

    vivo V50 5G: The power-packed mid-range performer

    ●  Sleek design: vivo mobile phones have always set the bar high when it comes to design, and the V50 5G handset is no different. This model sports a refreshing look with sleek and rounded edges. The phone comes in Titanium Grey, Starry Night, and Rose Red shades, with the Starry Night option featuring a unique 3D holographic star effect. With a thickness of just 7.6 mm, this vivo mobile phone is one of the slimmest 6,000 mAh battery handsets! The V50 5G also gets IP68 and IP69 ratings for water and dust resistance.

    ●  Ultra-slim quad-curved display: Designed for binge-watching bliss, the vivo V50 sports a 6.7-inch quad-curved AMOLED screen with a refresh rate of 120Hz. This 1.5K resolution display renders true-to-life colours. This HDR10+ screen is perfect for watching movies, streaming videos, and playing games. It also comes with a peak brightness of 4,500 nits for seamless outdoor use. In terms of protection, the vivo V50 5G gets a new Diamond Shield Glass that makes the handset 50% more drop-resistant than the previous generation’s Alpha Glass.

    ●  All-day battery: While vivo V50 5G maintains sleek curves, the phone does not compromise on power. It runs on a heavy-duty 6,000 mAh battery that’s designed to power up to 21 hours of video playback on a single full charge. So now, you can game, binge-watch, and scroll without worrying about power drains. For quick refuelling, the phone gets a 90 W Flash Charging support as well.

    ●  ZEISS cameras: The V50 5G continues the brand’s legacy of impressive camera features with its ZEISS camera set-up. The latest vivo mobile phone packs a 50MP ZEISS main camera and a 50MP ZEISS ultra-wide camera with a FoV of 119 degrees. Additionally, the device sports a 50MP ZEISS front camera for selfies. The phone is designed to master the ZEISS multifocal portraits with impressive Bokeh effects. Photography enthusiasts can access standout features, including the underwater mode, wedding photography mode, AI studio light portrait, and classic ZEISS lens effect, to make their captures stand out. The Aura Light feature further helps transform pictures into masterpieces.

    ●  Power-packed Snapdragon chipset: Equipped with the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset, the vivo V50 5G delivers impeccable multitasking performance. This chipset is paired with up to 12GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage to ensure all-around efficiency. Additionally, you get up to 12GB of Dynamic RAM to juggle up to 40 apps in the background without lag or glitches.

    ●  Super-fast 5G support: The V50 5G lets you embrace the all-new 5G world with its cutting-edge connectivity features. The latest vivo mobile phone comes with dual 5G support to ensure super-fast uploads and downloads. Apart from low-latency 5G calling perks, it also offers a host of other connectivity features, including dual-band Wi-Fi, NFC, GPS, OTG, and Bluetooth v5.4 support.

    vivo V50 5G price in India

    vivo launched the V50 5G model as a mid-range powerhouse that is built to offer the best specs and features at a relatively lower price point. To this end, vivo V50 5G prices start from Rs. 34,999 for the 8GB RAM + 128GB ROM model. The 8GB RAM + 256GB ROM variant costs around Rs. 36,999, while the top-tier 12GB RAM + 512GB ROM variant costs Rs. 40,999.

    How to buy the vivo V50 5G on Easy EMIs

    You don’t need to spend a fortune to buy the vivo V50 5G handset and experience the best of smartphone photography and style. You can do so on a budget by shopping for this vivo mobile phone on Easy EMIs on the Bajaj Finserv EMI Network. Purchasing the handset on Easy EMIs allows you to divide the cost of the phone into nominal instalments payable over a convenient tenure of 1 to 60 months. You can even tap into exciting offers and zero down payment perks on select products. All you have to do is visit your nearest Bajaj Finserv partner store to check out the vivo V50 5G in person. While checking out, choose an Easy EMI plan that suits your budget to bring home your favourite handset!  
     

  • TRAI overhauls network authorisations, boosting structure and revenue in telecom

    TRAI overhauls network authorisations, boosting structure and revenue in telecom

    MUMBAI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has shaken up the telecom sector with fresh recommendations that redefine network authorisations under the Telecommunications Act, 2023. The much-anticipated Recommendations on the Terms and Conditions of Network Authorisations were unveiled on 17 February 2025, setting the stage for a more structured and revenue-driven industry.

    This isn’t just a policy tweak—it’s a game-changer. With a range of new authorisation categories and a pricing framework that demands commitment, TRAI is making it clear that the industry’s future lies in structured, competitive, and investment-heavy territory. From satellite gateways to cloud-hosted telecom networks, the revised framework is a playbook for businesses looking to thrive in India’s fast-evolving telecom landscape.

    Key among the updates is the introduction of a mix of infrastructure and service provider authorisations, each carrying its own set of fees. Notably, the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) Provider authorisation comes with a whopping Rs 40,00,000 guarantee fee, ensuring only serious players enter the market. But it’s not all about higher costs—TRAI has focused on streamlining processes, reducing bureaucratic hurdles, and fostering innovation while prioritising security.

    Companies eyeing infrastructure investments—think dark fibres, towers, and ducts—will now need an Infrastructure Provider (IP) authorisation. Meanwhile, digital connectivity firms can explore the Digital Connectivity Infrastructure Provider (DCIP) authorisation, which encompasses everything from wireline access networks to expansive Wi-Fi systems.

    One of the most forward-thinking recommendations includes enabling Cloud-hosted Telecom Networks (CTN), marking a significant step toward the sector’s cloud-powered future. TRAI has also planned for a smooth transition, allowing existing entities to voluntarily shift to the new framework under the Telecommunications Act, 2023, ensuring continuity without disruption.

    While the fee hikes may raise eyebrows, TRAI’s ultimate goal is to fortify India’s telecom ecosystem, making it robust, competitive, and future-ready. By enhancing the ease of doing business, fostering investment, and securing the sector’s digital backbone, the regulatory body is charting a course for long-term industry growth.

    For those keen to dive into the details, TRAI’s full set of recommendations is available on its website. Whether it’s satellites or fibre optics, India’s telecom landscape is gearing up for a more structured and lucrative future.

  • TRAI urges govt to set up public wi-fi systems

    TRAI urges govt to set up public wi-fi systems

    MUMBAI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is of the opinion that the the government must encourage public wi-fi solutions from a public policy point of view. “The availability of broadband services at a very low cost and in every corner of the country is the basic requirement of digital India,” it said in a report.

    In the report on ‘Public Wi-Fi Open Pilot Project’, submitted to the Telecoms Ministry, TRAI  said, “Wi-fi is a technology that can easily meet this requirement [for digital India]. The recommendation envisages an architecture that supports one time authentication requirement, interoperability across different wi-fi networks, ease of payment through any instrument and above all inexpensive service.”

    According to TRAI,  global internet traffic is anticipated to increase three times to 3.3 ZB per year by 2021 from 1.2 ZB per year in 2016 and wi-fi will play an important role in driving that growth. Public wi-fi hotspots are crucial for broadband internet in international countries. As per a Cisco report, the number of public wi-fi hotspots is set to increase from 94 million in 2016 to 541.6 million in 2021. The density of WiFi hotspots will also increase from one hotspot for 150 people to one hotspot for 20 people.

    The authority noted that India significantly lags behind other countries in terms of providing access to broadband, especially to people in rural areas. Since there is a significant section of the population still to be connected, it feels there is a need to take some measures so as to provide broadband services to the unconnected. This calls for introduction of new set of small players in the wi-fi service provisioning space, who will be able to extend their resources through a process of incentivisation.

    The report shows that mobile network data usage in India remains dominant currently as compared to other forms of internet usage. This can be attributed to a number of factors, including the cost and affordability of different broadband services, lack of fixed line coverage and relatively small number of public wi-fi zones. “This situation highlights the need for better proliferation of public wi-fi networks that can offer a more affordable and flexible alternative for scaling up of internet access,” it says.

    The regulator has come prepared. In 2017, it conducted a pilot trial of the suggested framework in the recommendations. Several companies registered to be app providers, software and hardware service providers and public data offices with a vision to ‘establish an open architecture based on wi-fi access network interface (WANI)’ in such a way that smaller entities were easily able to setup systems and users were able to easily identify and connect to them. Its opinion is that the prices must be of lower denominations such as Rs 2.

    The pilot was conducted to demonstrate that unbundling of services reduces rework, speeds up development and hence is the most effective way to tackle this complex problem. It also highlighted that multi-provider, inter-operable, collaborative model increases the overall innovation in the system, dismantles monopolies and encourages passing of benefits to end user. The pilot allowed for real life testing and suggestion of improvements as well as fine tune technology.

    The public wi-fi pilot outcome aims to offer a seamless experience to end users. As an encouragement for small entrepreneurs such as tea shops, grocery shops to set up and maintain access points, it wants to uncomplicated issues like unbundling authentication, payment and accounting from hardware and software running on the access point.

    TRAI mentions the operating guidelines to include a speed of at least 2 Mbps and e-KYC linked to Aadhaar or m-KYC via OTP authentication. The providers must set up systems capable of withstanding cyber attacks such as malware, denial of service (DoS) and even customer data and privacy protection.

    It calls the pilot a success since 96.3 per cent of the persons found the system user friendly and just 3.7 per cent of the persons believed that there is still a scope for improvement. It now intends to expand the second phase in two large cities – Delhi and Bengaluru – at junctures like airports, railway/metro stations, bus stands and other public places. This will allow testing WANI framework at scale.

    As an encouragement, TRAI says that the success of the pilot addresses the issues of interoperability and payment options. The WANI architecture would unleash the power of wi-fi and provide an impetus to the number of public hotspots in the country thereby providing the user a good quality of service and also a foolproof payment system.

    Also Read:

    Industry hails doubling of digital allocation

    Wi-Fi: TRAI plans to set up ‘open’ WANI, seeks inter-operable, sachet-priced model

  • Wi-Fi: TRAI plans to set up ‘open’ WANI, seeks inter-operable, sachet-priced model

    MUMBAI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued a document inviting participation of entities to be part of a Pilot to establish Nation-wide Public Data Offices (PDOs). Any interested entity (company, proprietorship, societies, non-profits, etc.) registered in India can apply to TRAI latest by 25 July 2017.

    The Internet is the single most self-empowering infrastructure available for a citizen in the 21st century. The World Bank observed that a 10% increase in Internet penetration leads to a 1.4% increase in GDP. Access to the Internet is considered a basic human right by many countries globally, including Estonia, Finland and France. In India, access to data is still limited due to poor coverage of fiber & telecom and prohibitive pricing of cellular data. Public Wi-Fi hotspots hold an important place in the last-mile delivery of broadband to users. It allows offloading telecom networks to ease congestion, and will be crucial when the next billion loT devices come online.

    Based on the recommendation of TRAI on “Proliferation of Broadband through Public Wi-Fi Networks” issued on 9 March 2017, TRAI invites all interested entities to be a part of a Pilot to establish nation-wide, pay-as-you-go PDOs.

    The vision of this initiative is to establish an Open Architecture based Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (WANI), such that;

    • Any entity (company, proprietorship, societies, non-profits, etc.) should easily be able to setup a paid public Wi-Fi Access Point:

    • Users should be able to easily discover WANI compliant SSIDs, do one click authentication and payment, and connect one or more devices in single session.

    • The experience for a small entrepreneur to purchase, self-register, set-up and operate a PDO must be simple, low-touch and maintenance-free.

    • The products available for consumption should begin from “sachet-sized”, i.e. low denominations ranging from Rs 2 to Rs 20, etc.

    • Providers (PDO provider, Access Point hardware/software, user authentication and KYC provider, and payment provider) are unbundled to eliminate silos and closed systems. This allows multiple parties in the ecosystem to come together and enable large scale adoption.

    Objectives of the pilot are:

    • Demonstrate that unbundling of services reduces rework, speeds up development and hence is the most effective way to tackle this complex problem.

    • Prove that Multi-provider, inter-operable, collaborative model increases the overall innovation in the system, dismantles monopolies and encourages passing of benefits to end user.

    • Test the specifications in real life conditions, and suggest improvements.

    • Jointly develop a business model that fairly allocates value to each provider.

    • Fine tune the technology and finalize the specifications based on pilot.

    • Test out integrated paymernt methods such as coupons (purchased usmg cash by user or gifted to user), credit/debit cards, net banking, e-wallets, and UPI.

  • TRAI chief pushes for b’band over cable TV, BharatNet for upping penetration

    NEW DELHI: Pointing out that initiatives such as broadband over cable and government’s OFC project BharatNet are important to increase broadband penetration, TRAI chairman RS Sharma has called for aggressively boosting India’s data connectivity profile as the country lags way behind many Asian countries on this score.

    According to Sharma, India’s data connectivity ranking was below Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Singapore, and way below the 46 per cent of average data connectivity level worldwide.

    “Indian telcos have delivered ubiquitous voice connectivity at affordable rates, but data connectivity remains a pain-point with the country ranked at 138 among the 175-odd countries, which is even below many African countries and island nations,” the Economic Times quoted Sharma from his keynote address at the ET Telecom India Mobile Congress last Friday.

    Highlighting the proactive nature of the regulator in giving fillip to broadband penetration, Sharma said the sector regulator has already recommended deployment of cable TV infrastructure for beefing up broadband, especially since 100 million homes already have cable connections. More recently, it has advocated freeing up new spectrum bands to ring in affordable Wi-Fi services in public places, the ET report stated, adding the chief regulator revealed the Department of Electronics & IT (DeitY) and the telecom department (DoT) were jointly initiating “a pilot program to offer affordable Wi-Fi, affordable Wi-Fi connectivity with free localized content“.

    Asserting that the national broadband project BharatNet would see significant acceleration in the coming months, the ET report quoted Sharma as saying the project could play a key role in boosting India’s overall data connectivity profile if implemented through the public-private partnership model as suggested by TRAI.

    Responding to a query on high spectrum costs in India, Sharma said the regulator had advocated a “pay-as-you-go model” for spectrum payouts to ease fiscal pains for telcos.

    Going forward, the sector regulator, according to the report, may also suggest that mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) be allowed to partner with multiple telcos, which would give consumers more choice for voice and data services and also allowing telcos more options to monetize unused airwaves.

  • TRAI wants reduction of import duty on Wi-fi equipment to help growth

    NEW DELHI: The import duty applicable upon Wi-Fi access point equipment should be revisited in coordination with the Commerce Ministry so that the cost of providing Wi-Fi service in the country leading to proliferation of broadband services can come down, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has said.

    It also said that the Department of Telecom should issue a clarification in respect of Clause (1)(xxii) of the UL VNO Guidelines, specifically clarifying that there is no exclusivity requirement upon UL VNO licensees for internet services, that is, a UL VNO can patent multiple NSO for providing internet service.

    In its Recommendations on “Proliferation of Broadband through Public Wi-Fi Networks”, TRAI said a new framework should be put in place for setting up of Public Data Offices (PDOs). Under this framework, PDOs in agreement with Public Data Office Aggregators (PDOAs) should be allowed to provide public Wi-Fi services. This will not only increase the number of public hotspots but also make internet service more affordable in the country.

    It said the existing requirement of authentication through OTP for each instance of access may be done away with. Authentication through eKYC, eCAF and other electronic modes should be allowed for the purposes of KYC obligations by PDOAs. This would enable PDOAs to obtain eKYC information and automatically authenticate the user device based on parameters such as the device’s MAC ID or through a mobile APP, which will store data required for authentication of the subscriber.

    In consultation with the security agencies, the DoT may consider authentication by MAC ID of the device or through a mobile APP which stores eKYC data of the subscriber and automatically authenticates the subscriber.

    PDOAs may be allowed to provide public Wi-Fi services without obtaining any specific license for the purpose. However, they would be subject to specific registration requirements (prescribed by the DoT) which will include obligations to ensure that e-KYC, authentication and record-keeping requirements (for customers, devices and PDOs enlisted with the PDOAs) are fulfilled by the PDOAs. This will encourage village level entrepreneurship and provide strong employment opportunities, especially in rural areas.

    PDOAs should be allowed to enter into agreements with third party application/service providers for the purposes of managing authentication and payment processes. Appropriate guidelines may be issued to ensure that customer consent is obtained, and other issues surrounding privacy and protection of sensitive personal information are addressed. This will encourage innovation in authentication and payment processes resulting in ease in access of the Wi-Fi services.

    TRAI said it was of the view that implementation of the recommendations will lead to introduction of a new set of small players in the Wi-Fi service provisioning space, who will be able to contribute in a big way in making broadband available to the masses.

    The Authority had suo-moto issued a Consultation Paper on “Proliferation of Broadband through Public Wi-Fi Networks” on 13 July 2016 to explore the regulatory and commercial constraints that potentially hinder the growth of scalable and ubiquitous Wi-Fi in the country. This included a review of any potential licensing restrictions, measures required to facilitate interoperability between Wi-Fi networks, possible de-licensing of additional bandwidths for the purposes of expediting the deployment of public Wi-Fi, and several demand-side issues such as roaming capabilities, authentication and payment processes, that potentially hinder the uptake of public Wi-Fi.

    While the comments and counter-comments received from the stakeholders were placed on the TRAI website, a workshop on public Wi-Fi networks was conducted in collaboration with the International Institute of Information Technology (lilT), Bangalore, on 28 September 2016.

    The purpose of this workshop was to explore various models of public Wi-Fi that could address the resource gap in terms of delivering public Wi-Fi in remote areas. Based on the discussions held at the workshop, the Authority released a Consultation Note on “Model for Nationwide Interoperable and Scalable Public Wi-Fi Networks” on 15 November 2016. The Consultation Note attempted to explore the roles of different stakeholders in the Public Wi-Fi network value chain and build an ecosystem for promoting scalable and sustainable partnerships for large scale nation wide deployment; and explore viable models that could be adopted towards rapidly deploying affordable and interoperable public Wi­ Fi networks. The comments received from the stakeholders were placed on the TRAI’s website. An Open House Discussion (OHD) with stakeholders was also organized on 9 January 2017 at New Delhi.

    The detailed recommendations are on trai.gov.in

  • Fazed by expensive 4G spectrum, BSNL gifting Kerala 1k hotspots

    Fazed by expensive 4G spectrum, BSNL gifting Kerala 1k hotspots

    NEW DELHI: Public sector telco BSNL will launch 1,000 high-speed Wi-Fi hotspots across the state of Kerala to address the challenges posed by its absence in the 4G data services, a top BSNL official has said.

    BSNL’s Kerala circle CGM R Mani told reporters that the proposed hotspots would provide 4.5G speed and would be commissioned within a months’ time. Huge cost to buy the 4G spectrum was the hindrance for the state-run service provider to plunge into 4G services, but it is expected to happen by this March, Mani was quoted by a PTI report, carried by Firstpost, as saying, who added that wherever BSNL’s 3G tower experienced a lot of traffic, Wi-Fi hotspots are being put up.

    With the commissioning of the hotspots, when a customer is using his mobile phone, his network service would be directly taken over to the Wi-Fi hotspot. “Then, he will not be on 3G… but will be on 4.5G,” the BSNL official is reported to have said. The project is being implemented in collaboration with equipment from Larsen & Toubro.

    The official explained that the high cost of 4G spectrum was an impediment for the State-run telco, though the initiative was “under evaluation” at the headquarters in Delhi.

    The rollout of 1,000 Wi-Fi hotspots in Kerala is part of an effort to provide Wi-Fi hotspots all across the country. In 2015, it was announced that BSNL would be investing Rs. 7, 0000 million to set up Wi-Fi hotspots across the country over the course of two to three years. BSNL has partnered with QuadGen Wireless to set up Wi-Fi hotspots in south and west zones, under a revenue sharing model.

    According to the report, BSNL plans to set up 40,000 Wi-Fi hotspots across the country by 2018 and the company already offers Wi-Fi services in tourist destinations such as the Taj Mahal, Khajuraho and Varanasi. The first 30 minutes of Wi-Fi connectivity is free, after which users will have to pay between Rs 20 to Rs 70 for access between 30 minutes to 24 hours. The free access is provided three times a month per user.

    Facebook has sponsored 100 hotspots across the country in partnership with BSNL and the social media company (hauled up by the government last year for offering, what the telecom regulator said, services that breached principles of Net Neutrality via Internet.org) is paying BSNL Rs 500,000 per hotspot annually. There is no revenue sharing agreement with Facebook.

  • Fazed by expensive 4G spectrum, BSNL gifting Kerala 1k hotspots

    Fazed by expensive 4G spectrum, BSNL gifting Kerala 1k hotspots

    NEW DELHI: Public sector telco BSNL will launch 1,000 high-speed Wi-Fi hotspots across the state of Kerala to address the challenges posed by its absence in the 4G data services, a top BSNL official has said.

    BSNL’s Kerala circle CGM R Mani told reporters that the proposed hotspots would provide 4.5G speed and would be commissioned within a months’ time. Huge cost to buy the 4G spectrum was the hindrance for the state-run service provider to plunge into 4G services, but it is expected to happen by this March, Mani was quoted by a PTI report, carried by Firstpost, as saying, who added that wherever BSNL’s 3G tower experienced a lot of traffic, Wi-Fi hotspots are being put up.

    With the commissioning of the hotspots, when a customer is using his mobile phone, his network service would be directly taken over to the Wi-Fi hotspot. “Then, he will not be on 3G… but will be on 4.5G,” the BSNL official is reported to have said. The project is being implemented in collaboration with equipment from Larsen & Toubro.

    The official explained that the high cost of 4G spectrum was an impediment for the State-run telco, though the initiative was “under evaluation” at the headquarters in Delhi.

    The rollout of 1,000 Wi-Fi hotspots in Kerala is part of an effort to provide Wi-Fi hotspots all across the country. In 2015, it was announced that BSNL would be investing Rs. 7, 0000 million to set up Wi-Fi hotspots across the country over the course of two to three years. BSNL has partnered with QuadGen Wireless to set up Wi-Fi hotspots in south and west zones, under a revenue sharing model.

    According to the report, BSNL plans to set up 40,000 Wi-Fi hotspots across the country by 2018 and the company already offers Wi-Fi services in tourist destinations such as the Taj Mahal, Khajuraho and Varanasi. The first 30 minutes of Wi-Fi connectivity is free, after which users will have to pay between Rs 20 to Rs 70 for access between 30 minutes to 24 hours. The free access is provided three times a month per user.

    Facebook has sponsored 100 hotspots across the country in partnership with BSNL and the social media company (hauled up by the government last year for offering, what the telecom regulator said, services that breached principles of Net Neutrality via Internet.org) is paying BSNL Rs 500,000 per hotspot annually. There is no revenue sharing agreement with Facebook.

  • Net subs grow significantly but public Wi-Fi idea flayed

    Net subs grow significantly but public Wi-Fi idea flayed

    MUMBAI: Even as internet subscribers are growing significantly across Indian states, TRAI’s idea of public Wi-Fi has been flayed by stakeholders.

    Maharashtra has recorded the highest number of internet subscribers in India at 29.47 million, followed by Tamil Nadu, Andhra and Karnataka in that order, according to government data. At the end of March 2016, India had a total of 342.65 million subscribers. BharatNet project meantime plans to connect all 2.5 lakh gram panchayats in the country through broadband.

    Delhi had registered 20.59 million internet users, while Kolkata and Mumbai recorded 9.26 million and 15.65 million, respectively.

    Tamil Nadu recorded 28.01 million subscribers, while the neighbouring states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka respectively registered 24.87 million and 22.63 million. Himachal Pradesh saw the lowest number of subscribers at 3.02 million.

    Of the over 342 million subscribers, over 67 per cent are from urban India. At the end of FY16, the rural internet subscriber base stood at 111.94 million. Tamil Nadu recorder the highest number of urban subscribers at 21.16 million, while UP (East) telecom circle is ahead in terms of rural internet customer base at 11.21 million.

    Public Wi-Fi condemned

    Telecom stakeholders recommending an open and cheap internet have raised concerns over privacy and regulatory hurdles following the release of TRAI’s consultation paper on public Wi-Fi.

    The Internet Freedom Foundation co-founder Aravind Ravi Sulekha was apprehensive that the proposed regulations could lead to invasion of privacy and interfere with the freedom of hotspot providers to operate freely. The proposals may turn out to be regressive, Sulekha said.

    TRAI proposed hotspot providers would have to register with the government and users could access hotspots only after paying using a service tied to their Aadhaar number.

    Centre for Internet and Society policy director Pranesh Prakash said that TRAI solution was a classic example of over-regulation and centralism. It turns out that TARI was unclear about the problem to be solved, he added.

  • Net subs grow significantly but public Wi-Fi idea flayed

    Net subs grow significantly but public Wi-Fi idea flayed

    MUMBAI: Even as internet subscribers are growing significantly across Indian states, TRAI’s idea of public Wi-Fi has been flayed by stakeholders.

    Maharashtra has recorded the highest number of internet subscribers in India at 29.47 million, followed by Tamil Nadu, Andhra and Karnataka in that order, according to government data. At the end of March 2016, India had a total of 342.65 million subscribers. BharatNet project meantime plans to connect all 2.5 lakh gram panchayats in the country through broadband.

    Delhi had registered 20.59 million internet users, while Kolkata and Mumbai recorded 9.26 million and 15.65 million, respectively.

    Tamil Nadu recorded 28.01 million subscribers, while the neighbouring states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka respectively registered 24.87 million and 22.63 million. Himachal Pradesh saw the lowest number of subscribers at 3.02 million.

    Of the over 342 million subscribers, over 67 per cent are from urban India. At the end of FY16, the rural internet subscriber base stood at 111.94 million. Tamil Nadu recorder the highest number of urban subscribers at 21.16 million, while UP (East) telecom circle is ahead in terms of rural internet customer base at 11.21 million.

    Public Wi-Fi condemned

    Telecom stakeholders recommending an open and cheap internet have raised concerns over privacy and regulatory hurdles following the release of TRAI’s consultation paper on public Wi-Fi.

    The Internet Freedom Foundation co-founder Aravind Ravi Sulekha was apprehensive that the proposed regulations could lead to invasion of privacy and interfere with the freedom of hotspot providers to operate freely. The proposals may turn out to be regressive, Sulekha said.

    TRAI proposed hotspot providers would have to register with the government and users could access hotspots only after paying using a service tied to their Aadhaar number.

    Centre for Internet and Society policy director Pranesh Prakash said that TRAI solution was a classic example of over-regulation and centralism. It turns out that TARI was unclear about the problem to be solved, he added.