BSNL WiFi 4G Plus - Data Offload from Cellular Networks !

Back in the era of pre Jio, a handful of service providers came with public WiFi Hotspot services, like Ozone WiFi, Tata Docomo WiFi. They were mostly available in shopping malls, restaurants, coffee shops etc. Their pricing model was use free for 30-60 min, and then pay for it. As Jio nearing to launch their 4G services commercially, Jio also launched its own WiFi services - JioNet. However​ Jionet is mostly defunc now.

As 4G mobility goes mass spread, people almost stopped using WiFi hotspots. But the thing came back strongly. Ozone, the leader in this market was lost in the transition but Google and Indian Railways' telecom arm Railtel created a massive WiFi hotspot network. Google Station, as it's named was a pilot by Google and its partner Railtel started in 2016 targeting the audience who are travelling by trains. This WiFi networks are located at major rail stations of India. Later Google was roped in by Pune Smart City Corporation for similar public WiFi offerings. 

Back in 2012-14 I was pushing for this thing for data offload from mobile network to WiFi. Thankfully with massive data users after 4G went mainstream, telecom operators are thinking in that direction. BSNL is one of first telecom company to offer public WiFi.


BSNL WiFi 4G Plus can be accessed by anyone - by authenticating BSNL SIM or broadband Id.

You can also use it if you are not using any of BSNL services, by sharing your mobile no, you will get an authenticating OTP to log in.

There are three types of WiFi hotspot from BSNL -

• BSNL 4G plus
• BSNL Broad Fi
• BSNL WiFi

BSNL WiFi 4G Plus - LOG ON LINK

Important links for BSNL WiFi : 

http://www.bsnl.co.in/opencms/bsnl/BSNL/services/landline/hasslefree_wifi.html

http://www.bsnl.co.in/wifi_hotspot.html

http://www.calcutta.bsnl.co.in/MOB/Mobile_4GPLUS_WIFI_Procedure.shtml


Tariff for paid users:

As I used BSNL WiFi inside Medical College, Kolkata campus as a free user, I did find that it is usable, not extremely slow or extreme speed. You can browse internet easily, but streaming video is not best option for users. 

As we came to know even Airtel and Vodafone have launched their own offload WiFi hotspots, but they are really really really limited in number, most of them are located in center of a city or office areas. And Jionets are already there from the very beginning, but most of them are down now. Therefore BSNL's WiFi offerings is huge and not in the comparison to them.