TRAI releases Tariff Order for retail broadband connectivity for Public Data Offices
DoT earlier highlighted that proliferation of PM-WANI scheme was significantly below the envisaged targets due to high cost of internet connectivity charged by TSPs, ISPs who often required Public Data Offices (PDOs) to connect public Wi-Fi access points using expensive Internet Leased Lines (ILL).
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The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released the Telecommunication Tariff (71st Amendment) Order, 2025, on Tariff for retail broadband connectivity for Public Data Offices (PDOs) under the PM-WANI Scheme.
Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Communications, Government of India, in its communication to TRAI highlighted that the proliferation of the PM-WANI scheme was significantly below the envisaged targets. One of the reasons cited for this low proliferation of PM-WANI was the high cost of internet connectivity charged by Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) and Internet Service Providers (ISPs). It was also stated that TSPs and ISPs often required Public Data Offices (PDOs) to connect public Wi-Fi access points using expensive Internet Leased Lines (ILL) under the name of commercial agreements.
In this regard, TRAI issued the Draft Telecommunication Tariff (70th Amendment) Order, 2024, on 23rd August 2024 proposing that the tariff for broadband services provided to PDOs under the PM-WANI scheme aligned with retail broadband Fiber to the Home (FTTH) tariffs. Comments and counter-comments were invited from stakeholders on the proposed framework. In response to the same, comments and counter-comments from stakeholders were received.
Subsequently, on 16th September 2024, DoT issued amendments to PM-WANI framework by removing the requirement for PDOs to enter commercial agreements with TSPs for internet connectivity.
In the light of DoT’s amendment dated 16th September 2024, stakeholders’ comments and counter-comments received on Draft TTO (70th amendment) and further internal analysis, the Authority issued revised draft Telecommunication Tariff (71st Amendment) Order on 15th January 2025 proposing that the broadband tariff (FTTH) for PDOs under the PM-WANI scheme should not exceed twice the tariff applicable for retail broadband (FTTH) services of corresponding capacity offered by service providers. Comments and counter-comments were invited from stakeholders on the proposed framework. In response to the same, comments and counter-comments from stakeholders were received. As part of the consultation process, an Open House Discussion (OHD) was also held on 8th April 2025 to seek views of the stakeholders.
Based on the above, TRAI has finalized its TTO (71st amendment), 2025 on Tariff for retail broadband connectivity for Public Data Offices (PDOs) under the PM-WANI Scheme.
To ensure a balanced and inclusive approach, TRAI prescribes the following tariff framework for the PM-WANI Scheme:
“Every service provider providing retail Fiber to the Home (FTTH) broadband services shall offer all of its retail FTTH broadband plans upto 200 Mbps to the PDOs under the PM-WANI scheme, at tariff not exceeding twice the tariff applicable to the retail subscribers for the corresponding FTTH broadband plan of the bandwidth (capacity) offered.”
This pricing framework has been designed to appropriately balance the interests of all stakeholders by ensuring affordability for small-scale Public Data Offices (PDOs) while also providing reasonable compensation for the broadband connection to the service providers. The proposed tariff framework takes into account prevailing market scenario, current levels of adoption of PM-WANI services, as well as potential future growth.
By aligning with these considerations, the framework aims to facilitate the orderly, sustainable, and inclusive growth of the public Wi-Fi ecosystem under the PM-WANI initiative.
