Latest news with #WorldWi-FiDay
Time of India
25-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Broadband India Forum lauds government's move to open 6 GHz spectrum
New Delhi: On the occasion of World Wi-Fi Day , TV Ramachandran , President of the Broadband India Forum (BIF), hailed the government's recent decision to delicense 500 MHz of the 6 GHz spectrum , calling it a significant move for India's digital future. Speaking to at an event in Delhi, Ramachandran emphasised the importance of the decision, which had been under consideration for several years. "Today was a very important event... In particular circumstances today, the government has recently launched 500 MHz of delicensed 6 GHz spectrum that has been in the works for the last 3 or 4 years. And it's a great step, probably the first step towards that direction, and this is going to help innovation, R&D, and connectivity for high-data applications..." he said. The decision came as part of India's efforts to improve digital access, promote Wi-Fi connectivity , and boost innovation and research in the high-speed wireless data space. The 6 GHz band is expected to play a major role in enhancing Wi-Fi services, especially for bandwidth-heavy applications such as online education, remote work, telemedicine, and IoT (Internet of Things). Earlier in the day, Union Minister for Communications and Development of North Eastern Region, Jyotiraditya Scindia, in his keynote address at the World Wi-Fi Day Conference organised by the Broadband India Forum, stated that Wi-Fi will be a $22 billion segment in India by 2035, playing a transformative role in the nation's digital journey. Describing Wi-Fi as "an invisible force capable of powering visible change," Scindia hailed India's rapid strides in digital inclusion, noting that India now contributes 46 per cent of global digital transactions. He emphasised that connectivity is no longer a luxury, but a fundamental tool of empowerment, akin to access to capital and infrastructure in previous eras. "Wi-Fi is not just about internet access; it's about widespread inclusion in India in the future. Every hotspot must become a hope spot," said Scindia, outlining a vision for grassroots entrepreneurship driven by affordable devices, ubiquitous networks, and deregulated spectrum. He underscored Prime Minister Modi's vision behind PM-WANI (Wi-Fi Access Network Interface) as a game-changer that democratises digital access, especially in villages.
India Gazette
24-06-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
World Wi-Fi Day: Broadband India Forum President lauds govt's move to open 6 GHz spectrum
New Delhi [India], June 24 (ANI): On the occasion of World Wi-Fi Day, TV Ramachandran, President of the Broadband India Forum (BIF), hailed the government's recent decision to delicense 500 MHz of the 6 GHz spectrum, calling it a significant move for India's digital future. Speaking to ANI at an event in Delhi, Ramachandran emphasised the importance of the decision, which had been under consideration for several years. 'Today was a very important event... In particular circumstances today, the government has recently launched 500 MHz of delicensed 6 GHz spectrum that has been in the works for the last 3 or 4 years. And it's a great step, probably the first step towards that direction, and this is going to help innovation, R&D, and connectivity for high-data applications...' he said. The decision came as part of India's efforts to improve digital access, promote Wi-Fi connectivity, and boost innovation and research in the high-speed wireless data space. The 6 GHz band is expected to play a major role in enhancing Wi-Fi services, especially for bandwidth-heavy applications such as online education, remote work, telemedicine, and IoT (Internet of Things). Earlier in the day, Union Minister for Communications and Development of North Eastern Region, Jyotiraditya Scindia, in his keynote address at the World Wi-Fi Day Conference organised by the Broadband India Forum, stated that Wi-Fi will be a $22 billion segment in India by 2035, playing a transformative role in the nation's digital journey. Describing Wi-Fi as 'an invisible force capable of powering visible change,' Scindia hailed India's rapid strides in digital inclusion, noting that India now contributes 46 per cent of global digital transactions. He emphasised that connectivity is no longer a luxury, but a fundamental tool of empowerment, akin to access to capital and infrastructure in previous eras. 'Wi-Fi is not just about internet access; it's about widespread inclusion in India in the future. Every hotspot must become a hope spot,' said Scindia, outlining a vision for grassroots entrepreneurship driven by affordable devices, ubiquitous networks, and deregulated spectrum. He underscored Prime Minister Modi's vision behind PM-WANI (Wi-Fi Access Network Interface) as a game-changer that democratises digital access, especially in villages. (ANI)
Time of India
24-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Need to develop alternative routes to offer broadband to citizens: RS Sharma
NEW DELHI: India needs to develop alternative connectivity mechanisms to provide broadband connectivity to 1.4 billion Indians, with digital public infrastructure for Wi-Fi systems holding a key to the ambitious Digital India initiative , a top bureaucrat said Tuesday.. 'Today, we are in a duopoly situation as far as the telecom infrastructure is concerned, and we have to develop certain alternative routes for providing broadband to our people. These alternative routes already exist. You have millions of kilometers of fiber ( BharatNet ). That fiber must become an ultimate source to provide connectivity to the people of this country,' Ram Sewak Sharma, former chairman, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), said. Sharma was speaking at the World Wi-Fi Day, organised by the Broadband India Forum. 'One of the things which was important was to create a digital public infrastructure of Wi-Fi kind of systems, because then, in 2015-16, the data was selling at about ₹275 per gigabyte,' Sharma said. India's telecom sector offers one of the affordable data tariffs worldwide at close to Rs 8 (less than $0.10) per gigabyte (GB). Further, he said that the government crafted a policy, and facilitated a cost-effective Wi-Fi price structure in the country. 'It essentially ensures that every citizen, whosoever, has got a smartphone will be able to access, not free, necessarily, but certainly able to access, even without having a data plan.' India has more than 800 million smartphone users currently, corresponding to nearly 53% of the overall population. Sharma further said that the government crafted out a policy, facilitating Wi-Fi price structure in the country so that people having smartphones could have access to it. READ MORE | Delicensing lower 6GHz for Wi-Fi a 'necessity', industry should produce affordable devices: Jyotiraditya Scindia BharatNet public infrastructure, according to him, could provide digital connectivity to a large number of people, with infinite capacity. The Centre aims to connect 2.5 lakh gram panchayats (village blocks) covering nearly 6.5 lakh villages to offer high-speed internet access through the national optical-fibre program, BharatNet, originally unveiled in 2011. Citing an example of the European and the US markets, he said that India has one Wi-Fi hotspot per about every 40,000 individuals, and added that the number of connections should scale up. In 2020, the Prime Minister Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (PM-WANI) scheme was launched by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), and aimed to enhance the proliferation of public Wi-Fi hotspots to create a robust digital communications infrastructure in the country, primarily in rural and semi-urban areas. The scheme, designed by the telecom regulator, sought to offer affordable internet access while boosting employment opportunities for small and micro-entrepreneurs through the establishment of Public Data Offices (PDO).
India Gazette
24-06-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
"India today has become leader of digital world," says Jyotiraditya Scindia at World WiFi Day program in Delhi
New Delhi [India], June 24 (ANI): Union Minister for Communications and Development of the Northeastern Region Jyotiraditya Scindia on Tuesday highlighted India's growing digital strength and achievements in telecom technology. Scindia said the World Wi-Fi Day is important because it highlights how Wi-Fi removes barriers to information and empowers people. Addressing the programme, Jyotiraditya Scindia said, 'On this World Wi-Fi Day, let me first of all congratulate you all. It's a day that must be celebrated across the world. Because it is a day that, as I said, removes the shackles, which were once limited to access to capital, which were once limited to access to infrastructure, and now are limiting mankind from access to information.' He called Wi-Fi an invisible force that drives real change by giving people the freedom to connect, create, and grow. 'Therefore, this World Wi-Fi Day is extremely seminal. It puts into perspective a day to celebrate an invisible form of power and energy capable of powering visible change. And that truly represents the power of Wi-Fi. It is a day when we sit back and look at the capability that this energy gives us. It gives us the freedom to connect. It gives us the freedom to create. And it gives us the freedom to rise,' Scindia said. Scindia said India has joined an elite group of countries by developing its own 4G technology, thanks to collaboration between public and private companies like CDOT, Tejas, and TCS. He added that India is now a global leader in digital technology, reaching from Wi-Fi to satellite, and leading the world in digital transactions. 'Today, a public sector company like CDOT combines with a private sector company like Tejas, with an Indian SI like TCS, and we produce our own 4G stack, becoming only the fifth country in the world to have telecom technology. And India today has become the leader. We have become the leaders of the digital world across the globe,' he added. Scindia said India now accounts for 46 per cent of all digital transactions worldwide, surpassing countries like the US, China, and Europe. Highlighting the government's rural-first approach, he said that 5G use cases are being launched not in major cities, but in 13 villages across states from Andhra Pradesh to Madhya Pradesh. 'You would be amazed that 46 per cent of the digital transactions in the world happen in India. Not the US, not all of Europe, not China, but in India. But we have, as the old adage goes, miles to go before we sleep. We are not starting on 5G use cases in cities. We are starting with 5G use cases in 13 villages across the country, from Andhra Pradesh to Madhya Pradesh,' he added. (ANI)
Time of India
24-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Wi-Fi to remain ‘indisputable' foundation of India's digital future, says Aruna Sundararajan
NEW DELHI: Wi-Fi technologies are the 'silent powerhouse' of the digital ecosystem and will remain the 'indisputable' foundation of the country's digital future despite the disruption brought by the fifth-generation (5G) networks, according to the Broadband India Forum (BIF). 'Wi-Fi networks are crucial because they constitute the silent yet incredibly powerful workhouse of the digital ecosystem. Nearly 80% of all data today is consumed indoors, while higher frequencies involved in 5G networks can offer high speeds, they often struggle to penetrate materials,' Aruna Sundararajan , chairperson of BIF, and former secretary, Department of Telecommunications (DoT), said at the World Wi-Fi Day event organised by BIF Tuesday. 'No matter what the user profile is, we know that without Wi-Fi, it is not possible to grow the digital ecosystem,' she added. Sundararajan said there are tremendous opportunities in public Wi-Fi hotspots , noting that the Bharat 6G Vision document envisages the deployment of 50 million Wi-Fi hotspots by 2030. The Central government, in December 2020, had launched its ambitious PM-WANI initiative to boost the penetration of public Wi-Fi hotspots in the country, and drive affordable access to the internet in rural and urban regions. However, the progress of deployment of PM-WANI-compliant hotspots has been mired by challenges, including high backhaul costs and a lack of monetisation opportunities. There are currently 333,294 PM-WANI hotspots available in India, according to the latest data from the central registry. She said that recent government decisions to proliferate Wi-Fi hotspots, including capping of broadband connectivity costs of public Wi-Fi service providers at double the rates of home broadband services, will advance innovation-led affordable and inclusive connectivity nationwide. READ MORE | Delicensing lower 6GHz for Wi-Fi a 'necessity', industry should produce affordable devices: Jyotiraditya Scindia 'These key policy interventions together represent a major inflection point in India's Wi-Fi journey, and they signal that the government of India is ambitious of providing inclusive and affordable broadband access to every Indian,' the former telecom secretary said, urging the ecosystem to work with the government in realising its ambitious Wi-Fi penetration targets. She said the delicensing of the lower 6GHz band will enable the launch of a host of new Wi-Fi technologies, including Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7. 'Wi-Fi 7 in particular holds great promise to become a core provider of affordable Internet access across our nation…we believe that this step of the ministry would enable businesses, educational institutions and users in residential and office spaces to access high-speed wireless internet and ultra-reliable networks, which remain the indisputable foundation of a country's digital future,' Sundararajan said.
