Public Wi-Fi can enable 40 million new users in India by 2019: Report

The report noted that public Wi-Fi could play a key role in driving ubiquitous connectivity and digital inclusion in India. 

“India is a big market for the next billion users. Wi-Fi is a huge focus area and opportunity in terms of connecting these users,” K Suri, Director, Partnership, India, Next Billion Users, Google India, told reporters here. 

“We have found that if users have free and fast access, it could make significant change to their lives and overall economic prosperity,” Suri added while releasing a joint study by Google and global research firm Analysys Mason. Google has currently partnered with RailTel and Indian Railways to offer public Wi-Fi in railway stations, covering 400 stations with about 7.6 million monthly active Wi-Fi users. 

“Public Wi-Fi will connect 40 million new users to the Internet by 2019 and that would translate into tangible benefits to GDP, by around $20 bn between 2017-19 and at least $10 bn per annum thereafter,” the study showed. 

Titled ‘Accelerating connectivity through public Wi-Fi: Early lessons from the railway Wi-Fi project,’ it outlined an opportunity to develop a wider connectivity ecosystem with public Wi-Fi as a key component. 

“By 2019, over 100 mn users will spend an extra $3 bn annually on mobile broadband and handsets because of their experience of high-speed public Wi-Fi,” noted Ashwinder Sethi, Principal Consultant, Analysys Mason. 

Offered as a free utility service under the brand name ‘RailWire,’ users have 30 minutes of free access to the Internet, in which they can on an average consume 350 MB of data per session. “Currently, the public Wi-Fi has close to 8 million monthly active users, two-thirds of which are in a typically young age group. 

While 50 per cent users access the Internet multiple times a day -- 36 per cent first time Wi-Fi users on the network,” Suri said.