BSNL to set up 25000 Wi -Fi hotspots at Rural Exchanges

To set up 25,000 Wi-Fi hotspots in its rural exchanges by next four months, State-run telecom operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited ( BSNL) today signed a Memorandum of Understandings ( MOU) with the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF).

The MOU was signed in front of Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha.

BSNL said that 25,000 Wi-Fi hotspots shall be funded from the USO Fund, with the government providing full capital expenditure and operational expenditure (OPEX) support to the tune of Rs 940 crore for the project.

"The OPEX support of 100 percent shall be provided by USOF for the first year and thereafter 75 percent in the second year, 50 percent support in the third year of operation shall be extended to BSNL," the statement said.

"Under this project, one Wi-Fi Acess Point shall be set up initially in each rural exchange," it added.

BSNL CMD Anupam Shrivastava also said that the company is already in the process of deployment of Wi-Fi hotspots in a big way and will be able to deliver this Wi-Fi project in four months time.

"Reliable internet service through these Wi-Fi hotspots shall be provided through robust fibre backhaul of the BSNL and Gigabit Passive Optical Network connectivity being extended through BharatNet Project, BSNL said.