Department of Telecom (DoT) Ministry of Communications is the nodal agency to proliferate Broadband through Public Wi-Fi networks under the framework of Prime Minister’s Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (PM-WANI) which was approved by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 9th December 2020. This framework takes forward the goal of National Digital Communications Policy, 2018 (NDCP) of creating a robust digital communications infrastructure. The PM-WANI framework envisages provision of Broadband through Public Wi-Fi Hotspot providers and will consist of the following elements:

• Public Data Office (PDO), which will establish, maintain, and operate PM-WANI compliant Wi-Fi Access Points and provide last-mile connectivity to deliver Broadband services to subscribers by procuring internet bandwidth from telecom service providers and/ or internet service providers;
• Public Data Office Aggregator (PDOA), which will provide aggregation services such as authorization and accounting to PDOs, thereby facilitating PDOs in providing services to the end consumer;
• App Provider, who will develop an Application to register users and ‘discover and display PM-WANI compliant Wi-Fi hotspots in the proximity for accessing the internet service and also authenticate the potential Broadband users;
• A Central Registry, which will maintain the details of App Providers, PDOAs, and PDOs. To begin with, the Central Registry will be maintained by the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT).

The proliferation of Public Wi-Fi Hotspots will lead to increased employment for small and micro-entrepreneurs, and provide them with an additional source of income. The telecom and internet service providers will also benefit due to the sale of bandwidth to PDOs. PDOAs, who will aggregate the last-mile providers will not require any license. These PDOAs will only have to register, for which no fees will be charged.

In view of the mass Broadband access across the country, Department of Telecom, Ministry of Communications invites citizens to coin a name for Public Data Office (PDO) and Public Data Office Aggregator (PDOA) separately to represent the spirit of the activities as described above.

Prize : INR 25,000/- to the winning entries for each PDO and PDOA.

The last date for submission is 28th December 2020.

Click here to read the Terms & Condition.