Mumbai, April 5: The Indian Government is actively promoting the expansion of public Wi-Fi access nationwide through the Prime Minister Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (PM-WANI) Scheme. Union Minister for Communications and Development of North Eastern Region, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, provided this information in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. The initiative aims to enhance broadband availability by deploying public Wi-Fi networks extensively.
Over 400,000 Public Wi-Fi Hotspots Established
As of February 28, 2026, a total of 409,403 Public Data Offices (PDOs), or public Wi-Fi hotspots, are operational across various States and Union Territories under the PM-WANI framework. The Minister also noted the registration of 207 Public Data Office Aggregators (PDOAs) and 113 App Providers. States like Delhi, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh have emerged as key players in expanding Wi-Fi infrastructure.
User Adoption Grows with 24.4 Million Users
The Minister reported a significant increase in user adoption, with 24,467,896 individuals accessing PM-WANI hotspots by February 28, 2026. Data consumption under the scheme has reached approximately 58.64 petabytes since its inception, indicating a growing reliance on public Wi-Fi services across the country.
Decentralized Model Fosters Local Entrepreneurship
Scindia emphasized that the PM-WANI framework operates on a decentralized, market-driven model. “The PM-WANI framework encourages local entrepreneurs to establish and manage Wi-Fi hotspots based on techno-commercial viability. The Government’s role is primarily to enable policy,” he stated.
Policy Initiatives to Enhance Rural Connectivity and Affordability
To accelerate the growth of PM-WANI hotspots, especially in rural and remote regions, the Government has introduced several key policy measures. These include cost-reduction initiatives that allow PDOs to operate via Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) connections and aggregate multiple access points under a single backhaul. New revenue enhancement provisions enable PDOs to offer mobile data offloading services to telecom providers, while PDOAs and App Providers can deliver consent-based promotional and branded content to users.
Efforts to improve user experience also include integrating existing home and business Wi-Fi networks into the PM-WANI ecosystem and enabling interoperability through roaming across different PDOA networks, ensuring seamless connectivity for users.
TRAI Tariff Order Strengthens PM-WANI Framework
Additionally, the Minister highlighted that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), through a tariff order issued on June 16, 2025, has mandated that Internet Service Providers offer retail FTTH broadband plans of up to 200 Mbps to PDOs at tariffs not exceeding twice the corresponding consumer rates. This initiative is expected to enhance affordability and strengthen the viability of the PM-WANI ecosystem.
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