Microsoft CEO keen to pilot 'White-Fi' technology in India

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Microsoft is keen to collaborate with the government on the Digital India and Make in India programmes- the ambitious technology vision laid out by PM Modi. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella met PM Narendra Modi, Finance minister Arun Jaitley and the IT & Communications minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in New Delhi yesterday.

In his meeting with Ravi Shankar Prasad, Nadella expressed the desire to work with the government in ensuring last mile Internet connectivity in India, especially through the ''White-Fi'' technology. They also discussed the possibilities of doing a pilot on the same.

Spectrum is a crucial component of mobile communications infrastructure. But, unfortunately, the availability of spectrum is not unlimited to support the huge demand for high speed Internet and the Internet of Things. White-Fi technology explores the use of spectral white spaces, which vary by region. White-Fi protocol determines the available white spaces in any specific location and transmits on those frequencies. Microsoft launched a television white-spaces spectrum pilot in Africa last year, which uses the unused spectrum primarily allocated for broadcasting- to deliver Internet access. The other countries made use of TV white spaces are the US, the UK, Canada, Finland and Singapore.

Besides discussing the White-Fi technology promises, Microsoft CEO also discussed the government's technology infrastructure modernization projects prospects and explained how Microsoft can help in building a secure government controlled digital infrastructure and also assist the government in providing technological wherewithal for securing the huge data of 1.27 billion people.

Prasad told Nadella about the incentives for promoting electronic manufacturing in India as a part of Make in India. Microsoft has already announced its decision to set up 3 data centers in India by the end of 2015 to accelerate its commercial cloud services adoption. Nadella felt that the data centre investment is a great opportunity and Microsoft will also consider about electronic manufacturing with this perspective.

Possibilities of collaboration in the government's digital literacy mission were also discussed.