The Government is promoting the expansion of public Wi-Fi access across the country under the Prime Minister Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (PM-WANI) Scheme, Union Minister for Communications and Development of North Eastern Region, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, informed the Rajya Sabha in a written reply on Thursday. The initiative aims to boost broadband proliferation through widespread deployment of public Wi-Fi networks.
4 Lakh+ Public Wi-Fi Hotspots Deployed Nationwide
As of February 28, 2026, a total of 4,09,403 Public Data Offices (PDOs), or public Wi-Fi hotspots, are operational across States and Union Territories under the PM-WANI framework, the Minister said. The scheme has also seen the registration of 207 Public Data Office Aggregators (PDOAs) and 113 App Providers. States such as Delhi, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh have emerged as leading contributors to the expansion of Wi-Fi infrastructure.
User Adoption Surges with Over 2.44 Crore Users
The Minister noted a steady rise in user adoption, with 2,44,67,896 individuals having accessed PM-WANI hotspots till February 28, 2026. Data consumption under the scheme has reached approximately 58.64 petabytes since its launch, reflecting increasing reliance on public Wi-Fi services nationwide.
Decentralised Model Driving Local Entrepreneurship
Highlighting the framework’s design, Scindia said the PM-WANI framework follows a decentralised, market-driven model. "The PM-WANI framework is based on a decentralised and market-driven model, encouraging local entrepreneurs to set up and operate Wi-Fi hotspots based on techno-commercial viability. The Government’s role is primarily that of policy enablement," he said.
Policy Push to Boost Rural Connectivity and Affordability
To further accelerate the growth of PM-WANI hotspots, particularly in rural and remote areas, the Minister said the Government has introduced several key policy interventions. These include cost reduction initiatives allowing PDOs to operate via Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) connections and aggregate multiple access points under a single backhaul. Revenue enhancement provisions now permit 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 include integration of 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 Ecosystem
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 move is expected to enhance affordability and strengthen the viability of the PM-WANI ecosystem.
