Bharti Airtel launches Wi-Fi app to decongest data traffic

NEW DELHI: Bharti Airtel, India's leading telecom service provider, has launched a Wi-Fi application called Airtel Hangout aimed at shifting data traffic away from the cellular network to help decongest it and improve services, the company said. Rival Vodafone India started offering a similar application a few months ago. The apps require a one-time sign-in and can be used in Wi-Fi zones that offer data services through unlicensed, or freely available, spectrum.

Airtel's app currently works within the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) at all Cafe Coffee Day outlets and some hotels and hospitals. "We have Wi-Fi hotspots in about 100 locations in DelhiNCR area," an Airtel spokesperson told ET. The Vodafone app can be used in over 100 zones in major cities, including Delhi-NCR.

With these apps, consumers get better network quality at the same price and don't have to pay for network congestion, said Rohan Dhamija, partner and head -India and South Asia, at Analysys Mason, a consulting firm.

However, Airtel and Vodafone may not reap any benefit because the Wi-Fi service is not free and data consumption will be deducted from the existing 3G or 4G packs of subscribers, an industry insider said.

"End consumers are not getting any data discounts or any additional benefit," the person said.

Both companies are building hotspots by themselves or through their equal joint venture FireFly Networks. Their focus is on cities such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Pune and Bengaluru, where data consumption is skyrocketing amid growing sales of smartphones and wider acceptance of 3G and 4G services that have congested networks.

Inconsistent data speeds over the cellular networks have prompted rising subscriber complaints.