The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India TRAI issues new regulations for Telecom Service Providers TSPs aimed at promoting the PM-WANI Prime Minister WiFi Access Network Interface scheme. These regulations further the Department of Telecommunication DoT’s previous communique to TRAI, in which concerns were raised regarding the scheme’s slow proliferation.

The earlier published Draft Telecommunication Tariff 70th Amendment Order, 2024, proposes aligning the tariff for broadband services provided to PDOs under the PM-WANI scheme with retail broadband FTTH tariffs. It has been put to discussion to invite comments and counter-comments from stakeholders.

Recommendation

After analyzing the comments and counter-arguments by the stakeholders, the Authority proposes a revised Draft Telecommunication Tariff 71st Amendment Order prescribing that the broadband tariff FTTH for Public Data Offices 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.

50 Million public Wi-fi hotspots

The newly proposed regulations aim to support the effective and robust proliferation of the PM-WANI scheme and also establish a balance between the PDOs and service providers. Additionally, this initiative aims to contribute to the broader objectives of the National Digital Communications Policy, 2018, and Bharat 6G Vision, which targets the deployment of 50 million public Wi-Fi hotspots by 2030.

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Earlier regulations

Earlier regulations mandated The PDOs to enter commercial agreements with TSPs for internet connectivity. This levied hefty costs on PDOs for backhaul internet connectivity charged by TSPs and ISPs.

Further, on 16th September 2024, DoT issued amendments to the PM-WANI framework permitting PDOs to network up to 100 access points to establish a single Wi-Fi hotspot.

Further comments and counter-arguments

The draft amendment is available on TRAI’s website. The press release stated that stakeholders are invited to submit their written comments by January 31, 2025, and counter-comments by February 7, 2025.

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