Trai caps Wi-Fi tariffs to boost PM-WANI and align with FTTH rates

Says high tariffs charged by telcos and ISPs have hindered the spread of the PM-WANI scheme; new rules cap prices for public Wi-Fi providers to enable affordability

Aiming to expand the PM-WANI scheme, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) on Monday introduced a cap on tariffs charged by telecom operators and internet providers from Public Data Offices (PDOs) that provide public Wi-Fi services. The tariffs have now been aligned with retail tariffs for broadband Fibre to the Home (FTTH).

 

The move comes after the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) informed Trai that the proliferation of the PM-WANI scheme was significantly below the envisaged targets. One of the reasons cited was the high cost of internet connectivity charged by Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) and Internet Service Providers (ISPs). Currently, TSPs and ISPs often require PDOs to connect public Wi-Fi access points using expensive Internet Leased Lines (ILL) under commercial agreements. 

 

Launched in December 2020, the Prime Minister’s Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (PM-WANI) scheme aims to expand public Wi-Fi hotspots across India, especially in rural and underserved areas. A key component of the scheme is the PDOs — physical locations such as shops, tea stalls, and restaurants — where individuals can access the internet via Wi-Fi. These locations procure fixed-line broadband from an ISP and handle backend services like authentication, billing, and software.

 

Trai’s Telecommunication Tariff (71st Amendment) Order, 2025, issued on Monday, seeks to rectify the cost barrier. It mandates that every service provider offering retail FTTH broadband services shall extend all of its retail FTTH broadband plans up to 200 Mbps to PDOs under the PM-WANI scheme at a maximum charge of double the rate offered to its own retail subscribers.

 

In September last year, the DoT amended the PM-WANI framework by removing the requirement for PDOs to enter into commercial agreements with TSPs for internet connectivity.

 

This pricing framework has been designed to appropriately balance the interests of all stakeholders by ensuring affordability for small-scale PDOs while also providing reasonable compensation to service providers. The proposed tariff framework considers the prevailing market scenario, current levels of adoption of PM-WANI services, and the potential for future growth, Trai stated.