Telecom Regulatory Authority of India: Telecom regulator TRAI on Friday proposed to reduce the broadband connection charges for public data offices providing public Wi-Fi services.
TRAI believes that the number of public Wi-Fi sites in the country is much less than the target number envisaged by the government. In such a situation, its number can be promoted by reducing the Wi-Fi fee.
The government had decided to install Wi-Fi so that people do not face difficulties in using the internet at public places like railway platforms and government offices.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) found that the annual charge for a 100 Mbps internet leased line tariff is 40-80 times higher than that of a 100 Mbps fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) broadband connection for retail users, according to the draft Telecom Tariff Order 2024.
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Local shops and retailers will benefit
TRAI said it believes that Public Data Offices (PDOs), particularly smaller entities like local shops, retailers etc. generally have low revenues and neither require ILL connections nor can afford the higher backhaul rates applicable to large commercial entities.
“The Authority proposes that for the purpose of providing PM-WANI (Wi-Fi Access Network Interface) scheme, PDOs may be charged the same rate as for retail broadband (FTTH) connections for which the said retail rate is being offered by the service providers to the customers,” the regulator said.
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