Cabinet approves plan to set up expansive public wifi network under PM-WANI

New Delhi: The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval to the proposal floated by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) for setting up of public wi-fi networks by Public Data Office Aggregators (PDOAs) to provide public wi-fi service through Public Data Offices (PDOs) spread across the length and breadth of the country to accelerate proliferation of Broadband Internet services through Public Wi-Fi network in the country. There shall be no license fee for providing Broadband Internet through these public Wi-Fi networks.

The proposal will promote the growth of public Wi-Fi networks in the country and, in turn, will help in proliferation of Broadband Internet, enhancement of income and employment and empowerment of people.

What is PM-WANI?

This Public Wi-Fi Access Network Interface will be known as PM-WANI.PM-WANI eco-system will be operated by different players. The Public Data Office (PDO) will establish, maintain, and operate only WANI compliant Wi-Fi Access Points and deliver broadband services to subscribers.

Public Data Office Aggregator (PDOA) will be an aggregator of PDOs and perform the functions relating to authorisation and accounting. App Provider will develop an app to register users and discover WANI compliant Wi-Fi hotspots in the nearby area and display the same within the app for accessing the internet service. The Central Registry will maintain the details of app providers, PDOAs, and PDOs. To begin with, the Central Registry will be maintained by C-DoT.

App providers will have to get registered with DoT

While no registration would be required for PDOs, PDOAs and app providers will get themselves registered with DoT through online registration portal (SARALSANCHAR; https://saralsanchar.gov.in) of DoT, without paying any registration fee, registration shall be granted within 7 days of the application.

'Proliferation of public Wi-Fi will create employment, enhance disposable incomes'

"This is expected to be more business friendly and in line with efforts for ease of doing business. The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated delivery of stable and high-speed Broadband Internet (data) services to an increasingly large number of subscribers in the country including areas which do not have 4G mobile coverage. This can be achieved by deployment of public Wi-Fi," said an official statement.

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"Further, the proliferation of public Wi-Fi will not only create employment but also enhance disposable incomes in the hands of small and medium entrepreneurs and boost the GDP of the country. Proliferation of Broadband Services through public Wi-Fi is a step towards digital India and consequential benefit thereon," it added.

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