The Business Bytes
THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU
NEW DELHI, JUNE 16, 2025
In a major push to accelerate digital inclusion and strengthen India’s grassroots broadband ecosystem, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued a landmark directive under the Telecommunication Tariff (71st Amendment) Order, 2025. The order mandates that all retail fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) broadband plans up to 200 Mbps must be offered to Public Data Offices (PDOs) under the PM-WANI framework at tariffs not exceeding twice the corresponding consumer broadband rates.
This bold regulatory cap is expected to sharply reduce the backhaul costs for public Wi-Fi hotspots — making connectivity up to ten times more affordable for PDOs. The move responds to a formal reference from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), which had flagged that high broadband tariffs and obligatory expensive leased line arrangements were discouraging small businesses and local shopkeepers from becoming PDOs, limiting the expansion of public internet access.
The DoT has welcomed the TRAI’s decision, calling it a timely intervention that complements the government’s vision of “Broadband for All” under the flagship PM-WANI (Prime Minister’s Wi-Fi Access Network Interface) scheme. Launched in December 2020, PM-WANI aims to democratize broadband access through a nationwide network of public Wi-Fi hotspots, bridging the digital divide and empowering micro-entrepreneurs and rural populations.
The tariff cap builds on a series of transformative reforms introduced by the DoT on September 16, 2024, to remove operational bottlenecks in the PM-WANI ecosystem. These reforms included the ability for multiple access points to share a single backhaul link (Backhaul Aggregation), dual-SSID integration for home and business Wi-Fi setups to double as public hotspots, seamless roaming across PDO Aggregator networks with unified payment mechanisms, tie-ups with telecom service providers for mobile data offload, and ad-based monetization tools for PDOs — all designed to make public Wi-Fi viable, profitable, and scalable.
Together, TRAI’s revised tariff order and DoT’s strategic reforms are expected to turbocharge the expansion of India’s public Wi-Fi footprint, making it easier for individuals, kirana stores, cafes, and rural entrepreneurs to join the PM-WANI network and offer affordable internet to the masses. The move is poised to unlock thousands of micro-opportunities, bolster local economies, and reduce the digital exclusion that hampers access to education, e-commerce, and e-governance in underserved areas.
As of now, the PM-WANI framework boasts 333,215 active Wi-Fi hotspots, supported by 205 PDO Aggregators and 111 App Providers across the country. With no licensing or registration fees required for PDOs or PDOAs, and with user-friendly app-based access, PM-WANI stands as one of the most inclusive digital access programs globally.
Reiterating its commitment to an inclusive and connected India, the DoT affirmed that it will continue to work closely with TRAI, telecom service providers, PDOs, aggregators, and app developers to ensure fast-track implementation, seamless connectivity, and universal digital empowerment through the PM-WANI platform.
