The state-run telecom operator, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), is going to migrate over 30,000 of its Wi-Fi hotspots under the PM-WANI (Prime Minister’s Wi-Fi Access Network Interface) scheme by June 2022. This will be a big boost to the PM-WANI scheme. Further, all the railway station Wi-Fi hotspots will also be PM-WANI compliant in the future.
With the PM-WANI scheme, the Indian government is trying to proliferate the presence of broadband internet across the nation.
According to an ET Telecom report, Vivek Narayan, DDG (DS), DoT, said at the Broadband India Forum (BIF) event that BSNL would be migrating over 30,000 Wi-Fi hotspots into PM-WANI by June this year.
UP Government Says 60,000 Sites to be Covered in Villages for Wi-Fi
Narayan added that the UP government has announced that over 60,000 sites will be covered in villages for providing Wi-Fi internet. The government is trying to pursue the UP government to cover these sites under the PM-WANI scheme as well.
To boost the PM-WANI scheme further, the official said that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has asked the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) to the administration to bring the hotspots in the PM-WANI scheme under subsidy scheme for last-mile connectivity.
With the PM-WANI scheme, there have been concerns raised around the settlement procedure between the Public Data Office (PDO) and the Public Data Office Aggregators (PDOA). These issues will also be addressed by June by the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT) by bringing an automated electronic procedure.
The growth of public Wi-Fi hotspots will enable Indians in all parts of the country to prepare themselves for the future and get job opportunities which will help with boosting the economy of the country. The PM-WANI scheme is definitely making a positive difference in the Digital India vision of the BJP government. There are already lakhs of Wi-Fi hotspots available across the country, with more to be added soon.
