India's Wi-Fi revolution gets citizen-friendly updates: PM-WANI reforms

📌 Summary:

• Department of Telecommunications (DoT) introduced new reforms under PM-WANI (Prime Minister's Wi-Fi Access Network Interface) framework
• Goal: make public Wi-Fi easier, faster and more affordable, in line with the Digital India initiative
• All PM-WANI stakeholders must implement revised guidelines within 8 weeks; new features operational by July 2026
• Reform 1 — QR-based authentication for laptops/secondary devices: scan a QR code on the login page using an authenticated smartphone app
• Reform 2 — Flexible short-duration "sachet" plans: 15-minute, 30-minute and 60-minute Wi-Fi plans for commuters, students, travellers
• Reform 3 — SSID standardisation: all hotspots will carry "PMWANI" branding so users can identify authentic public Wi-Fi networks
• Lead Ministers: Jyotiraditya Scindia (Communications & DoNER) and MoS Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS2 Governance — E-governance, Digital Public Infrastructure; GS3 Economy — Digital economy, telecom infrastructure

📝 Prelims Facts:

• PM-WANI launched in December 2020 by Union Cabinet; allows public data offices (PDOs) to set up Wi-Fi hotspots without licence fee
• Nodal: Department of Telecommunications (DoT) under Ministry of Communications
• PM-WANI players: PDOs (hotspot operators), PDOAs (aggregators), App Providers, Central Registry (held by C-DoT)
• SSID = Service Set Identifier — the name of a Wi-Fi network

🔑 Key Term: Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) — Shared digital systems (e.g. Aadhaar, UPI, PM-WANI) that enable interoperable services at population scale