Trai Recommends Infrastructure Sharing for Telecom Service Providers
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has recommended that telecom service providers be allowed to share passive and active infrastructure elements with each other. This move is aimed at improving cost efficiency, time to market, and service quality for telecom service providers.
Trai recommends that telecom service providers be allowed to share passive infrastructure such as buildings, towers, electrical equipment, dark fiber, duct space, and Right of Way. This will allow for better utilization of existing infrastructure and reduce the need for new infrastructure development.
Trai also recommends that telecom service providers be allowed to share active infrastructure elements such as spectrum and network equipment. This will allow for more efficient use of spectrum and network resources.
Trai recommends that spectrum leasing and inter-band spectrum sharing be permitted in addition to the existing spectrum trading and intra-band spectrum sharing. This will allow for more efficient utilization of the scarce spectrum resource.
Trai recommends that the Department of Telecom include a provision in the agreement for USOF projects that requires the universal service provider to share the passive infrastructure laid under the project with at least two other telecom service providers. This will extend the benefits of telecom coverage in underserved areas to more than one telco.
Trai recommends that a telecom service provider that has built mobile network infrastructure in remote areas with funding from the government should be mandated to allow roaming to other telecom service providers on its network for an initial period of three years. This will improve connectivity in remote areas.
Trai recommends that inter-band access spectrum sharing between access service providers in an LSA (licenced service area) be permitted. This will allow for more efficient use of spectrum resources.
Trai recommends that the DoT explore the possibility of implementing ASA technique-based spectrum sharing in India. This will allow spectrum assigned to government agencies or other entities to be assigned to access service providers as secondary users.
Trai recommends that leasing of access spectrum should be permitted among access service providers. This will allow for more efficient use of spectrum resources.
Overall, Trai's recommendations are aimed at improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the telecom sector in India. This will benefit both telecom service providers and consumers.