{"id":16868,"date":"2023-07-26T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-07-26T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current_affairs\/uncategorized\/26-07-2023\/internet-from-a-sachet\/"},"modified":"2023-07-26T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2023-07-26T00:00:00","slug":"internet-from-a-sachet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/26-07-2023\/internet-from-a-sachet","title":{"rendered":"Internet from a Sachet"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n<\/p>\n

Internet from a Sachet\u00a0<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n
Syllabus: GS2\/ Government Policies & Interventions<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
In Context<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\n
Digital connectivity is a sine qua non for everything digital in today\u2019s world.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
India\u2019s digital connectivity landscape<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\n
The connectivity landscape has been <\/span><\/span><\/span>transformed in the last seven years in India <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>due to multiple factors like\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
\n
The <\/span><\/span><\/span>boom in mobile telephony <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>(a billion-plus mobile connections)<\/span><\/span><\/span>,\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
4G coverage,\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
A significant reduction in tariffs <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>(from Rs 300 per GB to a mere Rs 7 per GB).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Increased smartphone penetration<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Enabling policies like Net Neutrality<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> and the country\u2019s <\/span><\/span><\/span>focus on building Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u2014 particularly <\/span><\/span><\/span>digital ID and UPI <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u2014 have further contributed to the increase in digital transactions across domains.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
About the Digital India programme\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\n
Vision: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>Government launched the Digital India programme with the vision of transforming India into a digitally empowered society and a knowledge-based economy, by ensuring\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
\n
digital access,\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
digital inclusion,\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
digital empowerment and\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
bridging the digital divide.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
The programme is centred on three key vision areas:\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
\n
Digital infrastructure as a core utility to every citizen,\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Governance and services on demand, and\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Digital empowerment of citizens.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Goal: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>The overall goal is to ensure that\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
\n
Digital technologies improve the life of every citizen,\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Expand India\u2019s digital economy, and\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Create investment and employment opportunities and\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Create digital technological capabilities in India.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Outcomes of the programme:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
\n
Digital India has considerably reduced the distance between Government and citizens.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
It has also helped in delivery of substantial services directly to the beneficiary in a transparent and corruption free manner.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
In the process, India has emerged as one of the pre-eminent nations of the world to use technology to transform the lives of its citizens.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Issue of Data Demand & Gaps<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\n
This growth has been accompanied by a huge surge in data demand. Video is now the major data-guzzling medium.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
India\u2019s per capita data consumption is a whopping 19.5 GB per month<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
The total data volume transported by mobile networks of India is <\/span><\/span><\/span>more than the mobile networks of the US and China combined<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
\n
This means that today, even a child requires five to six gigabytes of data for online classes and other educational requirements.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Thus, the gap between demand and affordable supply remains wide, especially for poor households and rural India.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Possible way to bridge the Data supply gaps – PM-WANI<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\n
About Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (WANI):<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
\n
The creation of <\/span><\/span><\/span>inter-operable public wi-fi hotspots <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>was one such idea proposed by the Telecom Regulator of India (TRAI) in 2017.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Similar in <\/span><\/span><\/span>concept to the PCOs of the pas<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>t, it proposed to create millions of interoperable wi-fi hotspots, Public Data Offices (PDOs), for the last mile distribution of broadband to the common people in sachet-sized packages of Rs 5 to 10.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
\n
This system <\/span><\/span><\/span>can provide community content<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> without using the bandwidth.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
The idea was successfully piloted as the <\/span><\/span><\/span>Wi-Fi Access Network Interface, or WANI<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Significance of PM-WANI:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
\n
This framework offers<\/span><\/span><\/span> a compelling business opportunity <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>for aggregators as it allows <\/span><\/span><\/span>unbundling of internet distribution<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> at the last mile, eliminating the need for additional licensing fees.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
It provides a robust foundation for <\/span><\/span><\/span>delivering affordable internet access <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>to a <\/span><\/span><\/span>significant portion of society<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
PM-WANI can also nurture the <\/span><\/span><\/span>growth of local nano entrepreneurs<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> throughout the country.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
\n
These last-mile providers (PDOs) can be found in small shops, local establishments, and even households.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
They establish wi-fi hotspots and offer internet access to other users, enabling them to augment their monthly earnings while promoting internet usage through affordable sachet plans.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Sachet internet:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
\n
In the last year alone, more than 1.5 lakh wi-fi hotspots have been installed by PDOAs and more than a million people are getting unlimited Internet daily by paying just Rs 5 to 10.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Students are buying this sachet internet instead of a packet of chips or soft drinks from their pocket money.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Challenges\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\n
Availability of connectivity:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
\n
One of the arguments against PM-WANI is that data is now so cheap and everyone has 4G connectivity \u2014 there is no business case for wi-fi hotspots. This, as we have seen, is an oversimplification.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Need of legal mandate:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
\n
Except for Aadhaar (prompted by litigation), <\/span><\/span><\/span>none of the pre existing platforms <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>[like Aarogya Setu, CoWIN or even Government E-Marketplace (GEM)] <\/span><\/span><\/span>has a legal definition of their functions<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>, <\/span><\/span><\/span>roles and responsibilities<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> from an Act of Parliament.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Data collection & breach:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
\n
One of the common aspects of all such platforms is them being data guzzlers where personal information is gathered from Indians that goes beyond the technical requirements.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
This only results in multiple individual and social harms, including data breaches.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Way ahead<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\n
PM-WANI presents a golden opportunity to accelerate high-speed unlimited internet penetration, bridging the digital divide and empowering communities.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
PM-WANI needs to be promoted by all stakeholders \u2014 governments, civil society, and startups.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
This Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) is uniquely Indian in its approach to interoperability, openness, and scalability. It will hopefully accelerate like UPI or other DPIs.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n\n\n\n
\n
Daily Mains Question<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
[Q]<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> Examine the need for the application of Wi-Fi Access Network Interface, or WANI to deliver affordable internet access in India. What are the challenges?<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n
<\/body><\/html><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Internet from a Sachet\u00a0 Syllabus: GS2\/ Government Policies & Interventions In Context Digital connectivity is a sine qua non for everything digital in today\u2019s world.\u00a0 India\u2019s digital connectivity landscape The connectivity landscape has been transformed in the last seven years in India due to multiple factors like\u00a0 The boom in mobile telephony (a billion-plus mobile […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16509,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[29],"class_list":["post-16868","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-editorial-analysis","tag-thehindu"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2023\/09\/1089378images.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16868","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16868"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16868\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16509"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16868"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16868"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16868"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}