COAI Appreciates Amended RoW Rules 2023, Will Smoothen 5G Rollout in India

The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has lauded the amended RoW (right of way) rules 2023. The industry body said that the amended rules are progressive and forward-looking. This puts a clear focus on enhancing the existing 5G ecosystem and expansive digital connectivity for all citizens in India. Let’s understand what the amended rules are.

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Amended RoW Rules 2023

According to the latest amendments made, the licensees will be allowed to set up temporary overground telegraph infrastructure when their existing underground infra is damaged. This would enable the licensees in ensuring that their services are restored instantly and there’s no major disruption to connectivity access for the users. Further, the government won’t charge any additional fees for the setup of temporary infrastructure.

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The amendments have also added more clarity to the term “street furniture”. Now, street furniture is defined as the following: post or pole used for street light, electricity, bus stop, traffic light, traffic sign, taxi stand, tram stop, memorial, lavatory, utility pole, public sculpture, or any other similar structure. This will enable the telcos in rolling out 5G at a faster pace.

Further, the licensees will only need to submit a single application for multiple sites for the establishment of small cells. The government has also allowed the deployment of small cells on buildings and structures by central authorities without any administrative fees. But yes, there will be charges related to power and fixtures provided by building owners.