The Prime Minister's Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (PM-WANI) initiative is a crucial effort to improve internet accessibility across India by establishing public Wi-Fi hotspots.As of November 2024, 246,993 hotspots have been installed, marking a significant step in India's Digital India campaign to provide affordable and widespread internet coverage.
What is PM-WANI?
Overview: Launched in 2020 by the Department of Telecom (DoT), the PM-WANI framework aims to expand public Wi-Fi availability, especially in rural regions of India. It enables local entrepreneurs, including shopkeepers, to set up their own Wi-Fi hotspots, thereby offering affordable internet access. The initiative also supports the objectives of the National Digital Communications Policy (NDCP) 2018.
Significance: One of the key features of PM-WANI is that local businesses can operate Wi-Fi hotspots without the need for expensive licenses or complex regulatory processes. This promotes ease of doing business and enables rapid deployment across the country. PM-WANI is expected to drastically improve internet access, driving digital inclusion and innovation.PM-WANI Ecosystem:
- Public Data Office (PDO): A PDO is responsible for setting up, maintaining, and running PM-WANI-compliant Wi-Fi hotspots. They procure internet bandwidth from telecom or internet service providers and deliver broadband services to the end users.
- Public Data Office Aggregator (PDOA): The PDOA oversees services like user authorization and accounting for the PDOs. It acts as an intermediary, helping PDOs deliver seamless services to consumers.
- App Provider: An App Provider develops a mobile application that enables users to find nearby PM-WANI hotspots, register users, and authenticate internet access.
- Central Registry: Managed by the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT), the Central Registry keeps track of the details of PDOs, PDOAs, and App Providers.
C-DoT: Established in 1984, the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT) is an autonomous R&D center of the DoT, playing a key role in managing the PM-WANI framework.
National Digital Communications Policy (NDCP) 2018Overview: The NDCP 2018 seeks to transform India into a digitally empowered society by enhancing the nation’s digital infrastructure and services. It aims to deploy 10 million public Wi-Fi hotspots by 2022.
Core Objectives:
- Universal broadband access
- Creation of 4 million jobs
- Boosting the digital communications sector's contribution to the country's GDP to 8%
- Promoting digital sovereignty
Key Features:
- Providing 50 Mbps broadband speeds to all citizens
- Extending connectivity to underserved areas
- Attracting USD 100 billion in investments
- Training one million individuals in emerging digital skills
The policy also emphasizes the growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem, data protection, and ensuring security and accountability in digital communications.
NDCP 2018 and the Wi-Fi Hotspot Target: India missed its ambitious target of 10 million public Wi-Fi hotspots by 2022, with only 0.5 million hotspots deployed. However, the
Bharat 6G Vision aims to achieve 50 million hotspots by 2030. To meet this goal, substantial growth in infrastructure and a reduction in internet costs will be crucial.
This continued focus on expanding public Wi-Fi infrastructure will be vital for ensuring digital access for all Indians, especially in underserved areas, and for boosting economic growth in the digital sector.
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