New Delhi, June 16: In a bid to boost the PM-WANI scheme, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Monday issued pricing framework for retail broadband connectivity for wi-fi service providers or ‘Public Data Offices’ (PDOs) to address challenges impeding the growth of public wi-fi hotspots.

The telecom authority has finalised the Telecommunication Tariff (71st Amendment) Order, 2025, on tariff for retail broadband connectivity for PDOs. “Every service provider providing retail Fiber to the Home (FTTH) broadband services shall offer all of its retail FTTH broadband plans up to 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,” the order read. Telecom Network To Use AI in Future, Representing Fundamental Shift in Design: DoT.

The pricing framework has been designed to appropriately balance the interests of all stakeholders by ensuring affordability for small-scale 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,” said the TRAI.

On September 16, 2024, the Department of Communication (DoT) introduced amendments to the PM-WANI framework, removing the requirement for PDOs to enter commercial agreements with TSPs for internet connectivity In the light of DoT’s amendment, 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 January 15, 2025. Telecom Fraud: DoT Disconnects Over 3.4 Crore Mobile Connections, Blocks 3.19 Lakh IMEI Numbers, Disengages 16.97 WhatsApp Accounts Through Sanchar Saathi Portal.

It proposed 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, said the telecom authority.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 16, 2025 04:58 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).