NEW DELHI: On December 9, 2020, the Cabinet of Government of India approved a proposal by the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecom (MeitY) to set up public Wi-Fi access networks across the country. The Wi-Fi access points will be called PM Wi-Fi Access Network Interface, or PM-WANI. According to a statement by Ravi Shankar Prasad, Minister of MeitY, public data centres will be opened across the country without any license fee or registration.
A government release said that Public Data Offices (PDOs) will establish, maintain and operate the WANI-compliant Wi-Fi Access Points. The accounting and authorisation work of PDOs will be done by Public data office aggregators (PDOAs). The PDOAs will provide services utilising telecom companies’ optical fibre network. Certain app providers will be hired to provide help to users in registering and discovering nearby WANI-compliant Wi-Fi hotspots.
A central registry under the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT) will maintain records of app providers, PDOs and PDOAs. Experts believe this model will prove to be a revenue lifeline for firms likes BSNL and would mean optimum use of their optical fiber infrastructure.
The Cabinet also approved a proposal for setting up submarine optical fibre connectivity between Kochi and Lakshwadeep Islands.