Lok Sabha Question No. 2962 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-03
Subject: Wi-Fi at Public Places
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: K. MARAGATHAM, VIJAY KUMAR S.R., SUNIL BALIRAM GAIKWAD, KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH, T. RADHAKRISHNAN, RAMESH CHANDER KAUSHIK, N.K. PREMACHANDRAN, RAJESHBHAI NARANBHAI CHUDASAMA, GEETHA KOTHAPALLI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2962

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 3 RD  AUGUST, 2016

## WI-FI AT PUBLIC PLACES

2962.  SHRIMATI K. MARAGATHAM:

SHRI S.R. VIJAYAKUMAR:

DR. SUNIL BALIRAM GAIKWAD:

KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH:

SHRI T. RADHAKRISHNAN:

SHRI RAMESH CHANDER KAUSHIK:

SHRI N.K. PREMACHANDRAN:

SHRI RAJESHBHAI CHUDASAMA:

SHRIMATI KOTHAPALLI GEETHA:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  provide  infrastructure  facility  for  Wi-Fi connection in the premises of monuments and places of pilgrimage in all important cities;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  places  already  provided  with  such facilities, State-wise;
- (c) whether the telecom regulator has proposed a consultation paper for boosting broadband availability through Wi-Fi in public places and if so, the details thereof and the response of the telecom operators in this regard;
- (d) whether globally the number of Wi-Fi hotspots surged more than six fold within the three years preceding 2016, while the increase in India has been only 12%; and
- (e) if  so,  the  reasons  therefor  along  with  the  corrective  measures  taken/being taken  by  the  Government  in  this  regard  along  with  the  policy  framework  and regulatory foundation laid down for the purpose?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS & MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI MANOJ SINHA)

- (a) & (b) Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) had to provide Wi-Fi facility in 21 tourist places and historical monuments across the country, identified by the Ministry of Tourism and the Archeological Survey of India. All 21 places have been provided with the wi-fi facility. The list of the places where Wi-Fi facility has been provided by the BSNL is placed at Annexure.
- (c) The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released a Consultation Paper  on  'Proliferation  of  Broadband  through  Public  Wi-Fi  Networks'  on  13 th July, 2016.  Stakeholders  have  been  requested  to  submit  their  comments  and  counter comments by 10 th August, 2016 and 24 th August, 2016 respectively.
- (d) As mentioned in the Consultation Paper, globally the increase in number of Wi-Fi  hotspots  from  2013  to  2016  has  been  568%,  whereas  India  has  seen  an increase of 12% only (as per 'iPass Wi-Fi Growth Map').
- (e) The reasons for the low progress of Wi-Fi hotspots in India shall be known after the conclusion of the consultation process initiated by the TRAI.

## Annexure

## Status of Wi-Fi facility provided by BSNL at Tourist Sites/Adarsh Smaraks

|   Sl. No. | Location                                     | Status   |
|-----------|----------------------------------------------|----------|
|         1 | Ramakrishna Beach, Vizag, Andhra Pradesh     | Provided |
|         2 | Lal Bagh, Bangalore, Karnataka               | Provided |
|         3 | Brindavan Gardens, Mysore, Karnataka         | Provided |
|         4 | Cubbon Park, Karnataka                       | Provided |
|         5 | Guruvayur Temple, Kerala                     | Provided |
|         6 | Upper Lake, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh           | Provided |
|         7 | Orchcha Temple, Madhya Pradesh               | Provided |
|         8 | Boulevard, Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu           | Provided |
|         9 | Meenakshi Temple, Madurai, Tamil Nadu        | Provided |
|        10 | Botanical Garden, Ooty, Tamil Nadu           | Provided |
|        11 | Hussein Sagar Lake, Hyderabad                | Provided |
|        12 | Jagannath Temple, Puri, Odisha               | Provided |
|        13 | Har Ki Pauri, Haridwar, Uttarakhand          | Provided |
|        14 | Brihadeeswarar Temple, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu | Provided |
|        15 | Hampi, Karnataka                             | Provided |
|        16 | Taj Mahal, Agra, Uttar Pradesh               | Provided |
|        17 | FatehpurSikri, Agra, Uttar Pradesh           | Provided |
|        18 | Sarnath Temple, Uttar Pradesh                | Provided |
|        19 | Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh                    | Provided |
|        20 | Konark Temple, Odisha                        | Provided |
|        21 | Shore Temple, Mahabali puram, Tamil Nadu     | Provided |

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