Telecom Commission nod for sharing of in-building infra

Telecom Commission, the highest policy-making body of the Department of Telecommunications, has approved sharing of in-building infrastructure among telecom operators. This development will enable telecom players to arrest call drops inside buildings, malls and other such areas.

Earlier this year, telecom regulator Trai had recommended that it should be mandatory for telcos and tower firms to share in-building infrastructure in residential and commercial complexes and large public places like malls, hotels and airports to boost the overall quality of indoor coverage. Such sharing of in-building solutions (IBS), optic fibre cables and ducts, among others, in large public places and residential/commercial premises should be fair, transparent and non-discriminatory, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) had said.

In its meeting recently, Telecom Commission considered the Trai’s recommendations on in-building access by telecom service providers and approved the proposal, according to a senior official.

In another development, Trai on Monday started a public discussion on strengthening the underlying communications network for Public Protection and Disaster Relief (PPDR) services. PPDR communication is used for a broad spectrum of services ranging from maintenance of law and order to protection of life and property, from disaster relief to emergency responses.

Trai has issued a consultation paper to beef up PPDR infrastructure. The discussions will centre around issues and shortcoming of the existing network, features of next-generation PPDR networks and its required technical specifications, as well as spectrum availability needed for building an “advanced, reliable, robust and responsive” PPDR system, Trai said.

Trai has specifically asked for views on whether or not PSUs should be tasked with providing nationwide broadband PPDR communication network and also frequency bands that can be assigned exclusively for public protection and disaster relief operations.

“Existing PPDR networks in the country are analog and digital systems supporting narrow band voice and data communications,” Trai said. Introduction of advanced communication networks can be a great enabler in decision making and handling of such operations.

The last date for submission of written comments is November 20, while the deadline for counter-comments is December 4, 2017.