About PM-WANI

• Prime Minister’s WiFi Access Network Interface (PM-WANI) was launched by the Department of Telecommunication in 2020. 
• The scheme aims to enhance the proliferation of public WiFi hotspots to create robust digital communications infrastructure in the country, especially in rural areas.
• Through better access to public hotspots, the government aims to increase employment for small and micro-entrepreneurs and provide low-cost internet to the underserved urban poor and rural households.
• The scheme encourages local shops and establishments to provide Wi-Fi for last-mile internet delivery which does not require a licence or charge a registration fee.

How can one access the PM-WANI internet?

• To access public hotspots under the PM-WANI scheme one needs to download a relevant App which shows the available networks. 
• The user can then choose from a list of available connections and make a payment to use the network. The user can access the network till his/her balance is exhausted.

PM-WANI ecosystem

• The PM-WANI ecosystem consists of four parts: Public Data Office (PDO), Public Data Office Aggregator (PDOA), App Provider, and Central Registry.
  • PDO establishes the Wi-Fi Hotspots and provides internet access to users. 
  • PDOA provides authorisation and accounting services to PDOs. 
  • The app provider displays the available hotspots in the phone’s proximity. 
  • The central registry, which is overseen by the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), maintains details of App Providers, PDOs, and PDOAs.

Why in News?

• Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released a draft Telecommunication Tariff (70th Amendment) Order, 2024 on “Regulatory framework for PM-WANI scheme”.
• The National Digital Communications Policy, 2018 under ‘Connect India’ mission had set the goal to enable deployment of 10 million public Wi-Fi hotspots by 2022 for creating a robust digital communication infrastructure.  
• Further, the Bharat 6G Vision also sets the goal of 10 million public Wi-Fi hotspots by 2022 and 50 million by 2030 for Digital India 2030 mobile and broadband policy objectives.  
• However, PM-Wani hotspot numbers presently are much below the targeted numbers, as envisaged in NDCP, 2018 document and in Bharat 6G vision document. 
• In 2022, Department of Telecommunications (DoT) stated that the proliferation of the PM-WANI scheme is quite limited and far below the targets due to extremely high cost of backhaul internet connectivity charged by Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) from Public Data Offices (PDOs).  
• The Authority proposes that for the purpose of providing PM-WANI scheme, tariff for Public Data Office under PM-Wani scheme shall be the same as is applicable for retail broadband (FTTH) connections.  

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2048265