Street WiFi

Wifi data can soon be bought from street vendors in New Delhi.

17:12 24 April 2017

India’s Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) has developed a low-cost public data office (PDO) tech solution allowing even street vendors to sell Wi-Fi data vouchers for as low as Rs10. C-DoT, a government-owned telecom research and development centre, will unveil its PDO solution on Friday.

 

C-DoT's executive director Vipin Tyagi said: "Today, Digital India is not happening in every nook and corner of India. But the concept of PDO will enable even a thelawallah to sell low cost Wi-Fi-based broadband services anywhere. Even a nearby kirana shop can resell data services for as low as Rs 10 or even less,"

 

To boost broadband penetration and to provide more people easy access to the Internet, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has asked the department of telecom to tweak ISP permit rules last month and has suggested an aggregator model in order to deliver public Wi-Fi services without a licence.

 

According to the regulator, the new technology would boost employment opportunities and encourage entrepreneurship in rural areas.