Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) submitted a proposal of open-architecture based Wi-Fi grid to bring down the cost of internet by 90 per cent.
The proposed open-architecture will bring down data prices to one-tenth of the current level.
The availability of broadband services at a very low cost is the basic requirement of the ‘Digital India’.
TRAI recommended that any entity - company, proprietorship, societies etc should easily be able to set up a public Wi-Fi access point.
Under the system,
Authentication of the service provider and service seekers, along with accounting and payment settlement, would be done through cloud services.
Users would be able to easily use the system, do one click authentication and payment, and connect one or more devices in single session.
The latest recommendations of TRAI follow Bharat Net project being pursued by Central government that intends to provide Wi-Fi services to village panchayats across the country.
Government has completed Bharat Net’s first phase and expects the project to be completed by 2019.