Public WiFi will connect 40 million new users to the internet by 2019, according to a report by Analysys Mason, a global consultancy and research firm. In addition to driving productivity improvements from high speed WiFi for the overall economy, public WiFi can also translate into tangible benefits to GDP by around $20 billion between 2017 and 2019 and at least $10 billion per annum thereafter.
Public WiFi's role in productivity enhancement was evident recently when a porter at Kerala's Ernakulam railway station used the Google WiFi to clear civil services exam. Google offers free high-speed public WiFi at 400 railway stations in partnership with the government-owned Indian Railways and RailTel, which operates a fibre network along the country’s massive network of train tracks. Over 8 million people use the service, consuming 350 MB data per session.
Last year, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) had come out with its recommendations on proliferation of broadband through public Wi-Fi networks, to facilitate access to low cost internet services across the country.
The consultation process had explored issues like technical interoperability and seamless connectivity of Wi-Fi networks, innovative payment, commercialisation and monetisation models, and collaborative alliances between various players in the ecosystem. It advocated an open architecture based Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (WANI).
Admitting that India significantly trails other nations in providing access to broadband, especially in rural areas, Trai has in the past underscored the need for ushering a new set of small players for Wi-Fi service provisioning. It mooted an ambitious model of a public Wi-Fi grid that aims to slash internet access cost by 90 per cent, and push broadband reach in India.
Trai's concept involves Public Data Office Providers (PDOs)—much like PCOs of yesteryear that galvanised connectivity. The PDOs will be companies, or even small merchants, interested in providing Wi-Fi hotspots to public using either free or paid model.
"In the last few years, India has made significant progress in driving mobile data usage, thanks to improved networks, and low cost data. But to really achieve the connected India vision, India will need to further invest in developing public Wi-Fi as a complement to mobile and fibre broadband. The success of Google's rollout and Reliance Jio’s 80,000 public Wi-Fi access points as of mid-2017 provide valuable insights in further developing public Wi-Fi as a service that can truly achieve the Digital India vision," said David Abecassis, Partner at Analysys Mason.