PM-WANI: A Disaggregated Wi-Fi Roaming Architecture to Connect the Unconnected

Authors

  • Satya N. Gupta Evangelist – DigiGaon Job Factory Foundation, Secretary General – ITU-APT Foundation of India, Chairman – Bharat IPv6 Forum, Chairman – Blockchain for Productivity Forum, Chairman – BLUETOWN, India & BIMSTEC

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.13052/jmm1550-4646.1915

Keywords:

Public data office, public data office aggregator, Wi-Fi access network interface, PDO, PDOA, PM-WANI, Wi-Fi, broadband, internet, rural connectivity, village level entrepreneur, department of telecommunications, ISP, DoT, access points, SSID, App provider, central registry, provider registry, C-DoT

Abstract

Providing seamless access to Wi-Fi through Public Data Offices (PDOs) using PM-WANI technology, could be an economical and rapid way of connecting the unconnected throughout India, especially given the unfeasible business case of rolling out expensive traditional cellular infrastructure in rural areas, plagued with a lower willingness to pay and revenue potential.

PM-WANI can provide significant boost to the government’s digital ambition – ubiquitous connectivity, digital inclusion and enabling infrastructure. In addition, productivity improvements from Wi-Fi for the overall economy can also translate into tangible benefits to the economy.

Proliferation of broadband across the length and breadth of the country is an essential ingredient of Digital India. Towards this objective, it is envisaged to leverage public Wi-Fi network for delivery of broadband services. This is sought to be facilitated by rolling out PM-WANI infrastructure with the broadband services being provided under distributed architecture and unbundling of infrastructure to improve performance by different players under the PM-WANI eco system.

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Author Biography

Satya N. Gupta, Evangelist – DigiGaon Job Factory Foundation, Secretary General – ITU-APT Foundation of India, Chairman – Bharat IPv6 Forum, Chairman – Blockchain for Productivity Forum, Chairman – BLUETOWN, India & BIMSTEC

Satya N. Gupta, FIETE is an international expert in NGN technologies, Regulation, Interconnection and Broadband with 40 years of experience in all aspects of Telecom, including 25 years with the Govt. and the Regulator. Satya N. Gupta is publicly recognized as an Analyst, Author, Advocate and Advisor on ICT related Policies, Projects and Business. After his post-graduation from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, he joined ministry of Communication in 1981 and Ministry of railways in 1983 and rose to the level of Additional Secretary in the Govt. He is a recipient of coveted Minister of Railways award for outstanding performance for the digitalisation project.

A triple master in Electronics Design Technology, IT Management and Telecom Policy and Regulation, he is globally known as “NGNguru”. He is a trainer and coach for telecommunication technologies, policy and regulation and a Regulatory advocate. He is an author of “Everything over IP – All you want to know about NGN”. He also published a concept called “Job Factory – Converting Unemployment into Intrapreneurship”. His recent work, “Long Tail – Walking the Extra Mile on Rural Broadband Business”, brings out the innovative business models for rural broadband connectivity. He has also established and mentored a consulting start-up named SAAM Corp Advisors providing Government Affairs as Managed Service. He was also awarded Global Visionary Award by Vision World Academy in 2019 for his Mission for Rural Women Empowerment through DigiGaon Job Factory Foundation, a social Enterprise. Based on his above work on innovating a business model “Hotspots-as-Managed Service”, he has been awarded a Ph.D. (HC) by the Commonwealth Vocational University.

He is Honorary Secretary General of ITU-APT Foundation of India. Additionally, he is Vice-President and Trustee of PTCIF, and Chairs BIF committee on Rural Digital Infrastructure. He founded NGN Forum in India to spread awareness and capacity building in the field of emerging technologies. As a member of Expert panel of Commonwealth Telecom Organisation, he conducts training programs in the areas of NGN Technologies, Broadband Policy and Regulation, Interconnection Costing in NGN Era, Spectrum Management, IPV6, Digital Transformation, Blockchain and Blue-Ocean Strategy. He is the first Indian recipient of IPv6 Hall of Fame Award – 2019 by Global IPv6 Forum and also the Chairman of Bharat IPv6 Forum.

Presently, he is working as Chairman, BLUETOWN, India & BIMSTEC, S. Asia to forge new partnerships and “Making It Happen” the Vision of “Connecting the Unconnected people living in Rural areas of the world”.

References

http://broadbandindiaforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/White-Paper-on-Public-Wifi-10-FEB-18.pdf

Broadband India Forum: Role and Importance of Next Generation Wi-Fi Technologies in Acceleration of Digital Transformation. https://broadbandindiaforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/BIF-WP_Role-Importance-of-Next-Generation-Wi-Fi-Technologies-in-Acceleration-of-Digital-Transformation_June-2021.pdf

PIB https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1679342

PM-WANI Central Registry https://pmwani.cdot.in/wani

Department of Telecommunications (DoT)PM-WANI framework Architecture & Specification (Version 2.0) https://dot.gov.in/sites/default/files/Annexure%20-%20II%20PM-WANI%20Framework%20Architecture%20and%20Specifications%20%28V2_0%29.pdf?download=1

TRAI Public Open Wi-Fi framework https://dot.gov.in/sites/default/files/2020_12_29%20A%26S%20WANI.pdf?download=1

Financial Express https://www.financialexpress.com/opinion/pm-wani-policy-implementing-steps-outlinedcrucial-it-can-accelerate-our-mission-to-become-atmanirbhar/2161958/

Long Tail – Walking the Extra Mile on Rural Broadband Business Paperback, by Satya N Gupta (NGNguru)

Thakur, Kishore Kumar, Satya N. Gupta, and Keshav Sharma. “Everything on Tower (EoT) – Enabling Broadband Access in Rural Areas Through License-Exempt Spectrum–Making the Business of Rural Broadband Happen.” NB! ICT Innovation, Regulation, Multi Business Model Innovation and Technology (2020): 215–236.

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Published

2022-09-15

How to Cite

Gupta, S. N. . (2022). PM-WANI: A Disaggregated Wi-Fi Roaming Architecture to Connect the Unconnected. Journal of Mobile Multimedia, 19(01), 103–116. https://doi.org/10.13052/jmm1550-4646.1915

Issue

2023: Vol 19 Iss 1

Section

WWRF