Nobody Knows But Facebook’s Wi-Fi Has Been In India For Over A Year

Last week, we reported how Facebook has decided not to bring its unmanned solar-powered drone, Aquila, to the Indian subcontinent, leaving quite a few people disappointed. In order to pump up their spirits and improve the company's position in the country, Facebook decided to divert the focus from Aquila to its Express Wifi project by spreading news in the media that the social media giant has now started testing the service in India. But, here's the real news, Facebook has already been testing the service in rural India since last year. This was right around the same phase that the Mark Zuckerberg led competition was facing the flack in India for its Net neutrality initiative.

What is Express Wifi project?

Express Wifi is going to allow users to purchase internet from local data providers. So, it isn't a free Wi-Fi service like tech giant's Google’s free WiFi service at the Indian Railway Station. In order to make the Express Wifi project a success in India, Facebook is making use of the old cable operator model. The main aim of the project is to bring WiFi to areas in the country where even in the year 2016 the connectivity is very scarce.

Currently, Facebook has implemented the model in over a 100 rural villages all across India, where the users have to come to a particular community area in order to access the internet. The social networking giant has developed the commercially available Wi-Fi access point technology with their software. A local entrepreneur of that particular area can help people electronically buy internet for a price as low as ten rupees.

The social networking company, which enjoys its second largest user-base in India, is targeting entry-level phones with this project. There will be no restrictions whatsoever on the websites that can be accessed on the Wi-Fi network. It is important to note that Facebook is just creating Wi-Fi access points for users wanting to access the net, and it still makes use of local Internet service providers for the data. So, Facebook’s technology provides a helping hand in providing last mile connectivity where it is not yet available. To make it simpler to understand, the social networking giant is just acting as a technology enabler when it comes to Express Wi-Fi project.

The Express Wi-Fi project is actually an integral part of Facebook’s much talked about Internet.org mission. Through this mission, the Mark Zuckerberg led company aims to bring internet connectivity across the whole wide world, especially in the rural pockets. In addition to the Indian villages, Facebook has also been testing its Express Wi-Fi in some other parts of the world. Facebook’s Free Basics, which was banned by India’s Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) earlier this year for violating the principles of net neutrality, was also a part of the Internet.org mission.

[Top Image: Munish Seth, Country Manager-Connectivity Solutions India region shows off how Express Wi-Fi will work. Credits: Indian Express]

Its Official, Facebook Internet Drone Aquila Is Not For India, Says Facebook India Chief

While Facebook has constantly boosted about having a special corner for its Indian users since they form the second-largest user base for the social networking site, but unfortunately this time their action isn't in coherence with their this speech. The Mark Zuckerberg led company has decided not bring its unmanned solar-powered drone, Aquila, to the Indian subcontinent.

Aimed at providing infrastructure for affordable internet connectivity in remote areas all around the world, Aquila could have made substantial difference in India's below-average internet connectivity scenario.

The social networking decision to not bring Aquila to India was recently confirmed by Facebook's India and South Asia managing director, Umang Bedi to a website.

Earlier in the month, India's Aquila dreams were fanned by an ET report which quoted Robert Pepper, Facebook’s connectivity public policy director, divulging the fact that the California-based giant was currently in the midst of talks with a number of Indian telcos for the trials of the drones.

What makes Aquila so interesting to the world is the fact that solar-powered drone's wingspan is wider than a regular Boeing 737 and is capable of staying in the air for up to a whopping 90 days at one go, delivering internet connection in remote areas where fibre connectivity hasn't completely reached yet. The drone has a potential of delivering internet in a 96.5-km radius. Unfortunately, Aquila is currently under investigation in the United States after it recently met with an accident.

Whether or not this investigation has something to do with the project being scrapped for India can only be speculated about, at this moment.

Though Aquila might not be coming to India, Facebook is still looking at a sustainable development effort in the country via one of its new initiatives called the Express Wifi. Though the project is still in early stage pilot, but the social networking giant has already started working with telcos and entrepreneurs.

Express Wifi is going to allow users to purchase internet from local data providers, and according to a leading daily, it has already successfully been offered at 125 rural Wifi hotspots as part of the pilot. As soon as the pilot materialises, we can expect more details on the project.

According to Bedi, not only is India Facebook’s second-largest market, but it is also “the most strategic market” for the company.

Facebook's Express Wifi initiative comes after Facebook’s Free Basics was banned by India's Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) earlier this year for violating the principles of net neutrality. Free Basics pitched to provide some of the websites such as its own absolutely free of cost. But, with the Express Wifi initiative, Facebook will be adhering to all the rules and regulations of the land.

According to Bedi, Facebook's vision for India is to remain a "loved and trusted brand.”

[Top Image: rark.in]