What is Prime Minister Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (PM-WANI) Scheme?

About PM-WANI Scheme:

• It was launched by the Department of Telecommunication (DoT) in December 2020 to provide affordable and high-speed internet connectivity to the public in rural and remote areas of the country. 
• The scheme aims to establish a public Wi-Fi network across the country through the creation of Wi-Fi Access Points (WAPs) set up by public data offices (PDOs).
• The WAPs will operate on an open-architecture system, allowing multiple service providers to offer their services to the public through a single platform.
• PM-WANI ecosystem: It 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. There shall be no license requiredby PDOs from the DoT for providing broadband Internet through these public Wi-Fi networks.
  • PDOA provides authorisation and accounting services to PDOs. PDOA provides user interface for the user to buy a plan and keep track of their data consumption. PDOA need not pay any licensefees.
  • The small shopkeepers can become PDOs as last-mile access service providers and take services from PDOAs for Internet and backend services.
  • App Provider, who will develop an application to register users, and ‘discover’ and display PM-WANI Wi-Fi hotspots in proximity for accessing the internet service, and also authenticate the potential broadband users. Startups and wallet providers can become App Providers.
  • The central registry overseen by the Centre for Development of Telematics maintains details of App Providers, PDOs, and PDOAs.
• How can you 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.

Q1: What Is Wi-Fi?

Wi-Fi is a wireless networking technology that allows devices such as computers (laptops and desktops), mobile devices (smartphones and wearables), and other equipment (printers and video cameras) to interface with the Internet. It allows these devices--and many more--to exchange information with one another, creating a network. Internet connectivity occurs through a wireless router. When you access Wi-Fi, you are connecting to a wireless router that allows your Wi-Fi-compatible devices to interface with the Internet.

Source: Public Wifi Hotspots Near 2 Lakh Mark Under PM Wani: How To Use Internet Economically While Travelling?