Telecom and information technology minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will meet Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella in Mumbai on Thursday to discuss the company’s plan to provide broadband connectivity in villages, sources said.
Microsoft has invited the minister to participate in its event to be held in Mumbai titled ‘Microsoft’s Future Unleashed’, the biggest event the technology giant has ever organised in India, where the minister is likely to address the gathering followed by a meeting with Nadella.
Microsoft has plans to provide low-cost broadband connectivity using white spaces, a technology that utilises unused television spectrum to deliver low-cost internet connectivity. While Wi-Fi has a range of about 100 meters, the spectrum band in 200-300 MHz available in the white space can reach up to 10 km.
During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US in September this year, Nadella had said Microsoft plans to partner with the government to bring in low-cost broadband connectivity to 500,000 villages in India. He had also announced setting up local data centres in India.
Nadella, who is on a one-day visit to India, could also outline the company’s plans for India while delivering a keynote address at the event that will bring together 3,000 industry thought leaders, enterprise heads, developers and entrepreneurs.
“At the event, our CEO Satya Nadella will address and engage with industry stalwarts to envision how technology will empower the lives of a billion-plus Indians,” said a note from Microsoft India.
Nadella will also meet Indian industry leaders. They include Tata Starbucks CEO Avani Davd, Mahindra Group chairman Anand Mahindra, Axis Bank MD and CEO Shikha Sharma, Mukund Rajan of Tata Sons and representatives from the government involved in India’s broadband project. He will also meet Maharashtra chief minister Devender Fadnavis, who will be present at the event.