Lok Sabha Question No. 2 (STARRED), answered on 2016-02-24
Subject: 4G and WiFi by BSNL
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: SUPRIYA SADANAND SULE, T. RADHAKRISHNAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.2

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 24 th  FEBRUARY, 2016

## 4G AND WIFI BY BSNL

## *2. SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE: SHRI T. RADHAKRISHNAN:

Will  the  Minister  of  COMMUNICATIONS  AND  INFORMATION  TECHNOLOGY  be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the  Bharat  Sanchar  Nigam  Limited  (BSNL)  and  the  Mahanagar  Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) have adequate spectrum to launch 4G service;
- (b) if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether the Government plans to provide free wifi connectivity in cities and towns in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the  funds  required  and  allocated  for  implementing  the  scheme  and  the  source  of funding; and
- (e) whether the  Government has evaluated the potential security risk  of  providing  free wifi services, if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government to mitigate the risks?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

- (a) to (e) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT  TO  BE  LAID  ON  THE  TABLE  OF  THE  LOK  SABHA  IN  RESPECT  OF PARTS (a) TO (e) OF LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 2 FOR 24 th  FEBRUARY, 2016 REGARDING '4G AND WIFI BY BSNL'.

(a) & (b) Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has reported that it has  spectrum in 2.5 GHz  band in which 4G services can be launched in the country except the licensed service areas of Andhra Pradesh, Tamilnadu, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Kolkata, where BSNL has surrendered this spectrum.  Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited  (MTNL) has surrendered this spectrum in both its service areas i.e. Mumbai and Delhi.

(c) & (d) BSNL has provided Wi-Fi services at over 300 locations with more than 860 Hotspots in more than 60 cities.  BSNL would be providing free Wi-Fi services, for first 15 minutes once in a month per user.

(e) Insecure Wi-Fi networks are capable of being misused without any trail of user at a later date.  Accordingly, DoT has issued instructions to Internet Service Providers (ISPs) for the secure use of Wi-Fi services including for public places. For providing these services, the licensees are required to ensure the following instructions:

- (i) Licensee shall create bulk Login IDs at each Wi-Fi hotspot location for controlled distribution.  The authentication shall be done at a centralized server only which could be a POP location of the service provider.
- (ii) Licensees or its Franchisee shall register the Subscribers for providing temporary Login ID and password for use of public Wi-Fi spot through either of the following methods:
- a. Retaining  a  copy  of  Photo  Identity  of  the  subscriber  with  Licencee  which shall preserved by the Licencee for a period of one year.
- b. Provisioning of Login-ID and Password through SMS on subscriber's mobile phone through automated process and keeping mobile number of subscriber as the identity of the internet subscriber with reference to Login-ID provided for a period of one year. In such cases, photo identity may not be necessary.

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