“Railwire will be launched across the country. Our aim is to reach out to rural and remote areas of the country at affordable rate,” RailTel Managing Director B.K.Bahuguna said.
Currently Railwire service has been launched as pilot project in limited areas of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala having over 6,000 customers.
“Railwire service has been designed to provide an open source content delivery platform for providing various services including Broadband Internet, IP telephony, e-HealthCare, e-Education, and other content driven services like gaming, video on demand services to individuals and small and medium business segment using cable operator’s infrastructure,” Bahuguna said.
RailTel has built nationwide optical fibre cable (OFC) based broadband and multimedia network using railway’s seamless right of way with the objective of modernising rail network.
RailTel has constructed about 42,000 km of OFC network in the country, and work on another 7,500 km is in various stage of completion. The OFC network presently reaches to over 4,200 towns and cities, including rural areas.
As part of its expansion plans, RailTel is exploring ways to facilitate broadband through WiFi at railway stations for convenience of passengers. (Courtesy: Business Std.)
Here is a verified, up-to-date overview of RailTel’s launch of the RailWire broadband service, a major initiative to expand affordable internet access across India:
🌐 RailWire Broadband: An Overview
- RailWire is RailTel’s FTTH (Fiber-to-the-Home) broadband offering, leveraging RailTel’s optical fiber infrastructure that runs along Indian Railways’ Right-of-Way (ROW). The service provides internet, IP telephony, e‑health, e‑education, and VoD services to homes and businesses in a seamless package ([turn0search3]turn0search4]turn0search6]).
- Initially launched as a pilot in October 2025 in select areas of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala with around 6,000 users, RailTel rapidly expanded its coverage starting from 42,000 km of fiber—extending service reach to over 4,200 towns across India ([turn0search3]turn0search6]turn0search4]).
🔧 What RailWire Offers Today
- RailWire is an affordable broadband platform targeting semi‑urban and rural locations, offering unlimited plans starting around ₹499/month with speeds up to 30–60 Mbps ([turn0search2]turn0search11]).
- As of October 2025, RailWire subscribers can use their home RailWire broadband credentials to log in at 6105 Railway stations’ public Wi-Fi—a unique benefit aligning their home and travel internet experience ([turn0search2]turn0search11]).
- The service now includes multi-screen OTT bundling called RailWire SATRANG, offering access to 14 OTT platforms for a single monthly fee—with content accessible at both home and station Wi-Fi ([turn0search7]turn0search11]).
📺 Value-Added Entertainment Services
- In November 2025, RailTel partnered with Prasar Bharati and PlayboxTV to launch the “Freedom Plan”, featuring:
- 30 Mbps broadband
- Access to WAVES (OBT platform by Prasar Bharati)
- 400+ live TV channels and 200+ games—all for ₹299/month ([turn0search5]turn0search10])
- Earlier, in January 2025, RailTel introduced ULKA TV (IPTV service) via City Online Media, offering high-quality streaming with apps “ULKA Mini” and “ULKA Lite” on STBs, smart TVs, and mobile devices in eastern and northeastern states ([turn0search9]turn0search8]).
✅ Benefits at a Glance
| Feature | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Affordable unlimited plans | Cost-effective broadband (₹299–₹499/month) |
| OTT bundled content | Preloaded entertainment across devices—no separate subscriptions |
| Home-to-station seamless Wi-Fi | Use same credentials at home and railway stations nationwide |
| Reach into underserved areas | Fiber coverage in rural/semi-urban areas, leveraging RailTel’s national OFC |
| IPTV and OTT services | Includes Prasar Bharati WAVES, multi-channel TV, gaming options |
🧠 Community Feedback
Feedback from Reddit users reveals a mixed experience:
- Some users from districts like Bhubaneswar and Raipur praise the affordability and customer support, often preferring RailWire over Airtel or Jio. ([turn0reddit15]turn0reddit17]turn0reddit19])
- Users in other regions like Kerala and Tamil Nadu highlight issues such as frequent downtime, speed throttling, and service disruptions despite recharges. ([turn0reddit13]turn0reddit23]turn0reddit22])
Performance appears significantly dependent on local implementation and provider quality.
🌟 Final Thoughts
RailTel’s RailWire broadband launch marked a crucial milestone in India’s digital infrastructure—leveraging railway fiber networks to deliver affordable, accessible, and entertainment-rich home internet services across rural and urban areas. With public Wi-Fi at stations, OTT bundling, IPTV integration, and flexible plans, RailWire stands out among broadband offerings—though service experience still varies by location.
Would you like help checking RailWire availability in your city (like Ranchi), comparing plans or signup options, or guidance on connecting to station Wi-Fi using RailWire credentials?