TRAI issued a draft design of public WiFi network project

With an aim to provide low- cost wireless Internet services, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has issued a draft design of public WiFi network project.

Under the proposed system, any entity with valid permanent account number (PAN) will be able to set up public data offices (PDOs), similar to public call offices (PCOs) of yesteryears, for providing public WiFi hotspots, as per the draft released by Trai.

Telecom Regulator TRAI has recently invited all interested entities to be part of a pilot basis public wi-fi hotspots that will be available to the public at a starting price of Rs 2.

The regulator says that through this effort it will be possible to set up a large number of public wifi hotspots across the country on a scale similar to what has been done in most of the developed countries.

"This document intends to provide detailed technology specifications for various providers to ensure full WANI (WiFi access network interface) system interoperability. All providers must ensure compliance with this specification to be part of this initiative.

"This is a technical document and does not fully cover detailed policy aspects and enabling framework," Trai said in the document on architecture and specifications of public WiFi.

The regulator at this stage has proposed to open network design-WANI-for setting up public WiFi hotspots. The authority has proposed a central registry that will be managed by the department of telecommunications (DoT) or Trai or an entity approved by either of them containing information about the PDOs, etc.