Public Wi-Fi to Have a Single Password Nationwide: Relief from Repeated OTPs; 400,000 Hotspots Across the Country—TRAI Seeks Suggestions

Learning lessons from the failure of the PM-WANI initiative, the government is preparing to introduce a new and advanced public Wi-Fi system. The objective of this new framework is to enhance the user experience and make digital payments more secure.

Users will no longer require a separate OTP for every hotspot. A single OTP or password will suffice to log in across the 400,000 hotspots spread throughout the country. The telecom regulator (TRAI) has issued a consultation paper on this matter, inviting suggestions from the public.

To ensure the security of public Wi-Fi, standards such as ‘Wi-Fi Protected Access 3’ will be implemented. This will provide an additional layer of security for UPI and digital payments, even in congested or high-traffic areas.

Aim: To Create a Revenue Model

According to the consultation paper, the existing Wi-Fi system failed to gain traction because it did not evolve into an essential utility for users. Furthermore, it failed to generate revenue for the operators. Consequently, the government aims to design the proposed Wi-Fi system as a viable revenue-generating model for operators.

To achieve this, various options—such as advertising-based models, paid plans, and subsidies (Viability Gap Funding)—will be offered.

Community Wi-Fi’ Model to be Implemented

While high-speed internet will be implemented in urban areas, a low-cost ‘Community Wi-Fi’ model will be introduced in villages. Out of India’s population of 1.4 billion, currently, only 2% of people utilize public Wi-Fi.

In comparison, 80% of the population in South Korea, 70% in the US, 60% in Europe and China, and 50% in England utilize public Wi-Fi services.

This new framework proposed by TRAI will not only expand internet accessibility but also alleviate the growing data load on existing mobile networks.

Affordable Internet to Strengthen Digital Infrastructure

According to Arun Srivastava, former Chairman of BSNL, this initiative not only improves the quality of connectivity but also strengthens the digital infrastructure by making internet access more affordable—particularly for those who cannot afford expensive data plans. He stated that Wi-Fi offers a superior option for high-data usage applications such as video, cloud, and AI-based services. It is also essential for accessing services like e-governance.