Broadband India Forum (BIF) praised the Department of Telecommunications’ (DoT) recent notifications aimed at enhancing the PM-WANI based Public Wi-Fi system. These notifications signify a significant effort by the government and the regulator to promote PM-WANI Public Wi-Fi nationwide. PM-WANI, a government initiative, aims to offer affordable high-speed public broadband internet.
T.V. Ramachandran, President of BIF, expressed that the measures introduced by the DoT are consumer-centric and timely, contributing to India’s digital inclusion and public broadband goals. He emphasized the importance of introducing short-duration data plans under the PM-WANI framework to enhance hotspot utilization, especially in high-traffic areas.
One of the notifications advises Public Data Offices (PDOs) and Public Data Office Aggregators (PDOAs) to introduce short-duration data plans for users needing brief internet access. This move is expected to boost the adoption and monetization of PM-WANI hotspots. Additionally, the other notification amends the WANI framework guidelines to incorporate QR-based authentication for secondary devices, enhancing security and ease of access within the PM-WANI ecosystem.
The amendments also standardize SSID nomenclature across PM-WANI hotspots, ensuring uniform “PM-WANI” branding for easy network identification. Ramachandran highlighted that these changes align with PM-WANI’s core principles of innovation and inclusivity, catering to various businesses and entities. PM-WANI is positioned as a crucial digital inclusion initiative in India’s connectivity landscape.
