Make in India: HFCL ships 1 lakh indigenous Wi-Fi systems in record time
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The homegrown company, that has an order book of Rs 7,500 crore has supplied Wi-Fi gear to private players and is also eyeing to further ship the new made-in-India product worldwide.
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Last month, the Cabinet has approved the Prime Minister’s Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (PM-WANI) scheme aimed to improve wireless connectivity by way of offering free wireless Internet in public places across the country, as a part of the Digital India program.
NEW DELHI: HFCL Limited, formerly known as
Himachal Futuristic Communications has supplied indigenously designed, developed, and manufactured 100,000 Wi-Fi systems in a record time, and believes that Wi-Fi Access Network Interface or WANI together with the Centre’s ambitious BharatNet initiative would augment broadband uptake in rural India.
The key to growing India’s economy lies in the growth of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). To add some perspective sector, in a paper dealing with investments in the sector, NITI Aayog the government’s policy think tank, explained that MSMEs, directly and indirectly, create about 70 million jobs, account for 45% of India’s manufacturing output, and 40% of exports. The sector also accounts for around 30% of the country’s GDP.
The government is well aware of the contribution and potential of MSMEs, and over the years, it has extended packages aimed at boosting growth and deepening the market. In fact, in Budget 2019, the Finance Minister reiterated the government’s commitment to providing stimulus to the MSMEs and made the highest ever allocation of Rs 7011.29 crore to its Ministry. But then came the black swan event that derailed all plans for this or any other sector the coronavirus pandemic.
6906 Ffill the gap: The need for WiFi access by all people has sharply risen to access most services. Tribune photo
Subir Roy
Senior Economic Analyst
The government has decided to set up public WiFi hotspots across the country which will bring broadband Internet services within the reach of the common man, both financially and physically. This has the potential to bring about a major change in the lifestyle at the grassroots level by making WiFi available to ordinary citizens if, of course, the rollout takes place with reasonable speed in the foreseeable future.
The need for WiFi access has sharply risen in recent years with online verification needed to access various services. The ration shop owner has to access data online to verify ration cards offered and offtake records. Besides, with the Aadhaar card becoming near universal and biometric verification needed at every step, all need quick and reliable access to the Internet. Most recently, the pandemic has highlighted the
PM- WANI is the right tool to achieve the objectives of creating millions of inter-operable Wi-Fi Hotspots in India : Consumer Voice Advisor
It took almost seven years after the internet was first thrown open to the public in 1995 to reach 1 percent of India’s population, and another nine years for this figure to cross 10 percent.
Dec 18, 2020 10:29:50 IST
The Union Cabinet, on 9 December, approved the establishment of public Wi-Fi networks across the country. It was really heartening to see that most of the suggestions given (by the writer of this column) to the TRAI during the consultation process initiated in 2016, were heeded. Public WiFi will be provided through Public Data Offices (PDOs) via a Central government scheme called the Prime Minister’s Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (PM-WANI).
WiFi hotspots will require app, OTP to access, no provision for cash payment
December 16, 2020
Public WiFi hotspots will require users to install an app and authenticate themselves with a one-time password, according to guidelines issued by the Department of Telecommunications. Public WiFi hotspots have been held back by regulatory uncertainty and security conditions, some of which seem to be continuing with the DoT’s new guidelines. The WiFi Access Network Interface (WANI) system means that different hotspot providers could potentially require different apps, and users can’t just sign in to WiFi hotspots instantly.
While this requirement is less problematic than requiring Aadhaar numbers from users, as originally suggested, it still adds friction to the process that doesn’t exist for mobile data, which is cheaper than anywhere else in the world in India. What’s more, digital payment options are mandatory, which some users may not be in a position to use.