PM-WANI Scheme

05.12.2025

PM-WANI Scheme

Context

In a recent update to Parliament (November 2025), the government highlighted the rapid expansion of the PM-WANI network, noting the successful deployment of over 3.9 lakh Wi-Fi hotspots across India.

About the Scheme Full Name:

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

Ministry: Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Communications. Inception: Approved by the Union Cabinet on December 9, 2020.

Objective:

• To elevate wireless internet connectivity in the country to support the National Digital Communications Policy (NDCP) 2018.
• To democratize digital access by creating a decentralized network of public Wi-Fi hotspots.

Structural Framework (The Eco-system)

The scheme operates on a comprehensive four-tier architecture:

1. Public Data Office (PDO): Small entities (like local kirana stores, tea stalls) that establish and maintain the Wi-Fi access points. They do not require a license or registration fee.
2. Public Data Office Aggregator (PDOA): Aggregators that perform authorization and accounting functions for the PDOs.
3. App Provider: Entities that develop applications to allow users to register, discover WANI-compliant hotspots, and authenticate themselves.
4. Central Registry: Maintained by the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT), it records the details of all App Providers, PDOAs, and PDOs.

Key Features Ease of Doing Business:

• No License Fee: Local entrepreneurs can set up hotspots without paying license fees or registration charges to the government.
• Simple Infrastructure: PDOs are permitted to use regular Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) broadband connections to serve customers, significantly lowering operational costs.

Connectivity and Utility:

• Roaming Capabilities: Users can switch seamlessly between hotspots managed by different aggregators (PDOAs), ensuring continuous connectivity similar to mobile roaming.
• Mobile Data Offload: The framework allows telecom service providers to offload mobile data traffic onto these Wi-Fi networks, reducing congestion on mobile towers and improving call quality.

Consumer Protection and Affordability:

• Privacy: App Providers can send promotional content to users, but strict protocols require explicit user consent to ensure privacy.
• Price Capping: To ensure viability for small operators, TRAI mandates that bandwidth sold to PDOs (up to 200 Mbps) cannot cost more than twice the retail consumer tariff.

Significance

• Bridging the Digital Divide: It extends affordable internet access to rural and remote areas where traditional tower-based connectivity is expensive or patchy.
• Boosting the Gig Economy: It creates a new class of micro-entrepreneurs (PDOs), allowing small business owners to generate additional income by selling internet access.
• Enabling Digital India: Robust last-mile connectivity accelerates the penetration of e-governance, digital payments, telemedicine, and online education in the hinterlands.

Conclusion

PM-WANI acts as a force multiplier for India's digital ambitions. By removing licensing hurdles and leveraging the strength of local communities, it transforms small shopkeepers into internet service providers, ensuring that high-speed connectivity becomes a public good rather than a luxury.