TRAI Pushes Nationwide Public WiFi Expansion

General Studies Paper II: Government Policies & Interventions, Welfare Schemes

Why in News?

Recently, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India launched a nationwide consultation to accelerate public Wi-Fi expansion, targeting affordable broadband access.

India’s Public Wi-Fi Ecosystem

Public Wi-Fi Framework: India’s Public Wi-Fi ecosystem operates mainly under the PM-WANI (Prime Minister Wi-Fi Access Network Interface) framework launched in December 2020.
- The initiative aims to expand broadband access through decentralised and licence-free public hotspot deployment across urban and rural India.
- The ecosystem currently includes 207 Public Data Office Aggregators (PDOAs) and 113 App Providers registered under the framework.
- PDOAs manage authentication, accounting, and hotspot aggregation, while App Providers help users discover and connect to nearby Wi-Fi networks digitally.
Operational Hotspots: As of 28 February 2026, India has 4,09,403 operational Public Data Offices (PDOs) functioning as public Wi-Fi hotspots under PM-WANI.
- As of December 2025, Indian telecom operators and ISPs provided 55,483 Wi-Fi hotspots, totaling 1.59 lakh access points nationwide, while public sector firm RailTel expanded its “RailWire” public Wi-Fi services to over 6,115 railway stations.
User Adoption: Government data shows nearly 2.44 crore users have accessed PM-WANI hotspots till February 2026.
- Total data consumption through the network has crossed 58.64 Petabytes (PB), indicating rapidly increasing usage of public broadband services.
- India had about 4.1 lakh public Wi-Fi hotspots by April 2026.
Leading States: According to the Ministry of Communications, Delhi, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh are among the leading contributors in PM-WANI hotspot deployment.
- These states have witnessed faster adoption due to stronger broadband infrastructure and higher urban internet demand.
Public Access Locations: Public Wi-Fi services are being deployed in railway stations, markets, shops, educational institutions, airports, cafes, village centres, and public offices.
National Policy Targets: India’s National Digital Communications Policy (NDCP) 2018 originally targeted deployment of 1 crore public Wi-Fi hotspots by 2022.
- Additionally, the Bharat 6G Vision proposes expansion towards nearly 5 crore hotspots by 2030, highlighting long-term ambitions for dense digital connectivity infrastructure.

PM-WANI (Prime Minister’s Wi-Fi Access Network Interface):

Launched By: It was launched by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) in 2020 to revolutionize India’s digital landscape by creating a massive network of public Wi-Fi hotspots.

Architecture: It follows a four-tier decentralized model:
- Public Data Office (PDO): Small shops/vendors who provide Wi-Fi.
- Public Data Office Aggregator (PDOA): Entities that handle authorization and accounting for PDOs.
- App Provider: Facilitates user registration and discovery of hotspots.
- Central Registry: Maintained by C-DOT to ensure interoperability.
Access Mechanism: Users can access PM-WANI internet by downloading a compliant app, registering via OTP, selecting a nearby hotspot, and purchasing plans digitally for immediate, affordable, public connectivity.
Key Features: No license fee or registration is required for PDOs, promoting ease of doing business and local entrepreneurship.
- It uses an interoperable system, allowing users to stay connected across different providers with a single login.

Why India Needs Nationwide Public Wi-Fi Expansion?

Rising Internet and Data Consumption: India is witnessing massive growth in internet usage, driven by 5G expansion, online education, OTT streaming, AI services, cloud computing, and digital payments.
- Mobile networks alone may not sustainably handle rising data demand, making Public Wi-Fi a necessary complementary broadband layer for high-capacity connectivity.
Affordable Broadband Access for Citizens: Public Wi-Fi is significantly cheaper than mobile broadband. According to TRAI’s consultation paper, average mobile data costs are nearly ₹8 per GB, whereas fixed Wi-Fi data costs can fall to around ₹0.27 per GB.
- PM-WANI packages generally range between ₹0.99 and ₹6 per GB, making internet access more affordable for students and low-income populations.
Bridging Rural–Urban Digital Divide: Large sections of rural and remote India still lack high-quality broadband connectivity.
- TRAI emphasised that nationwide Public Wi-Fi can improve internet access in underserved regions where fibre penetration and mobile network quality remain limited.
- Expanded Wi-Fi infrastructure is considered essential for balanced digital growth across villages and small towns.
Supporting Digital India and E-Governance: Public Wi-Fi expansion is necessary for strengthening India’s digital governance ecosystem.
- Broadband connectivity supports UPI transactions, DigiLocker, Aadhaar authentication, online public services, telemedicine, and digital education platforms.
- TRAI described broadband infrastructure as equally important as electricity and transportation for modern governance systems.
Reducing Congestion on Mobile Networks: TRAI highlighted that Public Wi-Fi can offload heavy internet traffic from 4G and 5G mobile networks, particularly in high-density locations such as railway stations, airports, markets, hospitals, and educational institutions.
- This helps improve overall network quality and internet speed during peak usage periods.
Achieving National Connectivity Targets: India had about 4.1 lakh public Wi-Fi hotspots by April 2026, far below the National Digital Communications Policy 2018 target of 1 crore hotspots by 2022, showing the urgent need for accelerated nationwide expansion to meet long-term connectivity goals.
Enabling High-Capacity Future Technologies: Future technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), smart cities, cloud services, and Industry 4.0 systems require dense and reliable broadband infrastructure.
- Robust Public Wi-Fi networks can serve as scalable, high-capacity digital infrastructure supporting India’s long-term economic and technological transformation.
Global Adoption: TRAI noted that several countries and regions—specifically South Korea, the European Union (EU), the United Kingdom (UK), and Singapore—have successfully deployed viable models that have significantly accelerated the proliferation of public Wi-Fi, supporting digital access in the country.

Major Challenges in Expanding Public Wi-Fi Across India

Weak Commercial Viability: TRAI identified poor monetisation as a major barrier. Many Public Data Offices (PDOs) struggle to generate sustainable revenue because low-cost data packs provide limited profit margins for operators and small businesses.
Expensive Backhaul Infrastructure: Public Wi-Fi providers often face high broadband backhaul expenses.
- Earlier, telecom operators charged PDOs up to ₹8 lakh annually through costly leased-line requirements, increasing operational costs and discouraging expansion.
Competition from Cheap Mobile Data: India already has some of the world’s cheapest mobile internet tariffs. Widespread 4G and expanding 5G services reduce consumer dependence on Public Wi-Fi, lowering hotspot utilisation rates.
Fragmented User Experience: Users face repeated authentication procedures and inconsistent connectivity across hotspots.
- Fragmented networks without seamless roaming reduce convenience and limit large-scale user adoption of Public Wi-Fi services.
Cybersecurity and Privacy Risks: TRAI’s consultation paper highlighted risks including rogue hotspots, data theft, weak encryption, and user privacy concerns.
- Research studies also identified vulnerabilities such as session hijacking and fake hotspot attacks in rural Wi-Fi ecosystems.
Limited Public Awareness and Adoption: Public Wi-Fi usage remains comparatively low in India. Reports indicate only around 2% Indians regularly use Public Wi-Fi, compared with nearly 70–80% usage in countries like the US and South Korea, reflecting low awareness and adoption.

Way Forward

Accelerating Hotspot Deployment: India should fast-track PM-WANI expansion to achieve the NDCP target of 1 crore hotspots and Bharat 6G goals, focusing deployment in railway stations, villages, markets, schools, hospitals, and tourism centres to improve nationwide broadband access.
Creating Sustainable Revenue Models: Government should propose stronger monetisation mechanisms for PDOs. Suggested models include advertisement-based Wi-Fi, subscription packs, government subsidies, bundled services, and enterprise partnerships to improve long-term commercial viability.
Expanding Fiber and Backhaul Infrastructure: India should expand BharatNet fiber networks, shared municipal infrastructure, satellite broadband integration, and competitive wholesale bandwidth markets to strengthen last-mile Public Wi-Fi connectivity.
Strengthening Cybersecurity Standards: India should implement stronger security protocols including WPA3 encryption, secure authentication, VPN integration, DNS protection, and real-time threat monitoring, essential to build user trust in Public Wi-Fi ecosystems.
Greater Role of States and Local Bodies: State governments and urban local bodies should support hotspot deployment through reduced Right-of-Way charges, access to public infrastructure, smart city integration, and local community Wi-Fi projects. International experiences show municipal participation significantly improves Public Wi-Fi expansion.