PM-WANI Registration for PDOAs and App Providers
PM-WANI lets shops, tea stalls and small businesses sell public Wi-Fi without a telecom licence. The shop itself (the PDO) needs no registration, but the aggregator (PDOA) and the App Provider must be on DoT’s books. Since 23 June 2026 new applicants apply for a PM-WANI service authorisation under the Telecommunications Act, 2023. We prepare and file the application and help you onboard on the Central Registry.
What it is
PM-WANI stands for Prime Minister’s Wi-Fi Access Network Interface. The Union Cabinet approved it on 9 December 2020 to spread public Wi-Fi through small local outlets, without any licence fee on the outlets that host the hotspots.
The model has four players. A Public Data Office (PDO) runs WANI-compliant Wi-Fi access points. A Public Data Office Aggregator (PDOA) aggregates PDOs and handles authorisation and accounting. An App Provider builds the app users sign up on and use to find hotspots. A Central Registry, maintained by C-DOT, keeps the details of all of them.
Under the original framework, PDOAs and App Providers registered with DoT on the Saral Sanchar portal, without any registration fee, and registration was to be granted within 7 days. The Telecommunications (Authorisation for Provision of Miscellaneous Telecommunication Services) Rules, 2026 (G.S.R. 512(E), 23 June 2026) now provide a “PM-WANI service authorisation” under Section 3(1) of the Telecommunications Act, 2023.
Picture a chemist near a Faridabad bus stand. Customers wait outside, phones in hand. Under PM-WANI the chemist can put up a WANI-compliant access point, tie up with a PDOA and offer paid Wi-Fi. The shop pays no licence fee and files nothing with DoT. The paperwork sits with the PDOA.
Who it applies to
Public Data Office Aggregators
Businesses that bring many PDOs together, provide the PDOA software and handle user authorisation and accounting. They must be registered or authorised with DoT.
App Providers
Developers whose app registers users and shows nearby PM-WANI hotspots. They also register with DoT and with the Central Registry.
Public Data Offices
A kirana store, chemist or cyber café that hosts a hotspot. The PDO needs no registration with DoT and pays no licence fee. It ties up with a PDOA instead.
Why it matters
You can sell Wi-Fi legally
Providing a telecommunication service needs an authorisation under Section 3(1) of the Telecommunications Act, 2023. PM-WANI is the light route for public Wi-Fi.
No licence fee on outlets
PDOs pay no licence fee under the scheme, so a small shop can host a hotspot without telecom-sized costs.
Long validity, no LoI stage
A PM-WANI service authorisation runs for up to 20 years. The rules grant it without a letter of intent first.
PDO, PDOA, App Provider: who does what
| Player | Role | DoT registration or authorisation |
|---|---|---|
| PDO | Sets up and runs WANI-compliant Wi-Fi access points | Not required |
| PDOA | Aggregates PDOs; handles authorisation and accounting | Required |
| App Provider | App to register users and discover hotspots | Required |
| Central Registry | Keeps details of App Providers, PDOAs and PDOs | Maintained by C-DOT |
Documents required
About the entity
- Incorporation certificate or other constitution document
- PAN and GSTIN
- Details of directors or partners and shareholding
- Authority letter or board resolution for the signatory
About the service
- Short description of the PDOA or app service
- PM-WANI certified PDOA software, or the provider you will use
- Where user data and usage logs will be stored in India
For filing
- Digital signature certificate of the signatory
- Nodal officer contact details
- Any processing fee that applies
How it works
Pin down your role in the network
We work out whether you are a PDO, a PDOA, an App Provider or more than one. Here is the catch: a local broadband operator in Ballabgarh that wants to sign up neighbourhood shops as hotspots is acting as a PDOA, and needs the authorisation.
Set up the entity and papers
Need a company first? We incorporate it. Then we collect the documents, draft the signatory authority and write up your data-storage arrangement.
File the application with DoT
New applications for PM-WANI service authorisation go on DoT’s Telecom eServices portal. We prepare and file the application and respond to any queries.
Onboard on the Central Registry
After DoT approval, the PDOA or App Provider signs up on the Central Registry at pmwani.gov.in and starts adding PDOs or users.
Timelines
9 December 2020
Cabinet approved PM-WANI. PDOA and App Provider registration was to be granted within 7 days of application.
23 June 2026
The 2026 authorisation rules came into force. New applicants now seek a PM-WANI service authorisation, valid for up to 20 years.
Existing registrations
Under Section 3(6) they continue for their stated validity, or for five years from the appointed day if none was given. Migration to the new terms is optional.
What happens if you run Wi-Fi without it
Unauthorised service
Selling Wi-Fi access to the public without the right authorisation breaches Section 3(1) of the Telecommunications Act, 2023.
You cannot join the network
Without registration you cannot sign up on the Central Registry, so PDOs and users cannot find or use your service.
Data rules still bite
PDOAs must store user data for one year and keep complete user data and usage logs in India. In practice, the software choice decides whether you comply, so settle it before launch.
Frequently asked questions
Does a shop running a PM-WANI hotspot need registration?
No. A Public Data Office (PDO), such as a shop or tea stall hosting a WANI-compliant hotspot, needs no registration with DoT and pays no licence fee. It works under a PDOA, which handles user authorisation and accounting, and it must run only WANI-compliant access points. Once a PDOA takes it on, a small outlet can start offering Wi-Fi to customers.
Who needs PM-WANI registration?
Public Data Office Aggregators (PDOAs) and App Providers need to be on DoT’s books. Under the 2020 framework they registered on the Saral Sanchar portal without a fee. Since 23 June 2026 new applicants seek a PM-WANI service authorisation under the Telecommunications Act, 2023. Existing registrations continue under Section 3(6). One call with us tells you which route is yours.
How long does PM-WANI authorisation last?
A PM-WANI service authorisation is valid for up to 20 years under the 2026 rules, and it covers the national service area. The rules allow it to be granted without first issuing a letter of intent. Renewal must be applied for at least 12 months before expiry. We diarise that date on the day of grant.
Is there a fee for PM-WANI registration?
The original 2020 framework allowed PDOAs and App Providers to register without paying any registration fee, and PDOs pay no licence fee. For new authorisations under the 2026 rules, we check the fee shown on DoT’s portal at the time of filing and include it in our quote. You will know the full cost before we file anything.
What does a PDOA have to do with user data?
A PDOA must make provisions to store user data for one year, and complete user data and usage logs must be stored within India. It must also keep third-party information private and confidential. Your PDOA software should handle this from day one. We help you document these arrangements so the compliance file is ready if DoT asks.
What software does a PDOA need?
A PDOA needs PM-WANI certified PDOA software. It can use the solution developed by C-DOT or buy one from the market. Initial certification is provisional, based on self-declaration, and full certification requires lab testing. We do not supply or test software. We coordinate the paperwork while your technology partner and the testing lab handle the technical side.
What is the Central Registry?
The Central Registry keeps the details of App Providers, PDOAs and PDOs, and is maintained by C-DOT. After DoT registration or authorisation, a PDOA signs up on it at pmwani.gov.in. Being on the registry is what lets apps find your hotspots. We help with the sign-up so your hotspots appear to users once they are live.
What happens to my old PDOA registration?
It continues. Section 3(6) of the Telecommunications Act, 2023 lets a registration with a definite validity run for that period, and one without a fixed validity run for five years from the appointed day. Either way, you may migrate to the new authorisation terms. There is no need to stop operating, and we can plan the migration with you.
What it costs
Our fee plus the government fee that applies to your case, quoted before you commit. Tell us the situation and we will price it exactly.
What we do, and what we do not
We handle the application, documents, portal filing, Central Registry onboarding, liaison with DoT and ongoing compliance. We can also form your private limited company and help partner shops with Udyam registration.
We do not install access points, write PDOA software or test equipment. That is done by your technology partner and accredited labs, and the authorisation itself is granted only by DoT.
Ready to begin?
Planning to aggregate hotspots or launch a PM-WANI app? Tell us your plan and we will map the registration and onboarding steps.