Written by Harsha Raj Gatty | Dabolim |
December 17, 2016 8:29:44 pm
December 17, 2016 8:29:44 pm
While the minister said that at present timeline cannot be spelled out as feasibility of security-aspect of Wi-Fi onboard remains key main concern for the technical teams. (Representative image)
Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapati Raju on Saturday said that the Union Government is working on an amendment of the Telegraph Act that would facilitate commercial aircrafts to provide in-flight Wi-Fi services. While he didn’t specify any particular timeline for the rollout of services, he said the technical teams from civil aviation and telecommunication department are also contacting their counterparts abroad to address the security concern.
As per protocol, the minister said that even international flights at present flying over Indian airspace discontinue the Wi-Fi service on-board while in the region. “For a long time now, apart from flights from Indian origin, overflying aircrafts (international aircrafts using Indian airspace) have been requesting permission to allow the use of Wi-Fi in India. We are working on the amendment of the particular legislation, after which aircrafts both overflying and origin from India would be able to provide the services to their passengers,” Raju said.
While the minister said that at present timeline cannot be spelled out as feasibility of security-aspect of Wi-Fi onboard remains key main concern for the technical teams. He said the Parliament will pass the bill for enhancing passenger convenience. “Technology can be used both used and misused. Therefore the technical teams are working on the pro’s and cons of the technology in question,” he said.
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