The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) recently opposed the recommendations from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) over infrastructure sharing rules. TRAI had recommended that USPs (Universal Service Providers) should share the passive network infrastructure with at least two other telecom companies to boost network connectivity. USPs are companies that are leveraging Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), earlier called as USOF (Universal Service Obligation Fund) to build networks in rural and remote areas of the country. Such USPs should share their passive network infrastructure with at least two telecom companies, TRAI had said in its recommendations which DoT has rejected.
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According to an ET report, the DoT didn't really detail why it is rejecting the view from TRAI. Thus, the regulatory body said that it will reiterate or stay firm with its recommendation over the matter. Passive infrastructure is things like mobile towers, whereas things like network software, radio equipment and all are not required to be shared.
TRAI's Views on Spectrum Sharing
TRAI had also shared with DoT earlier that telecom companies should only be allowed to share the spectrum with each other after holding the airwaves for at least two years. However, DoT didn't like this recommendation from TRAI much. It is because, if any telecom operator purchased even a tiny amount of spectrum in a particualr band, they would then have to wait for two years to share it with others.
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Thus, TRAI has revised its recommendation and said that spectrum can be shared with other telecom companies as long as 80% of the company's airwaves in that band has been held for at least two years. This makes the rule from TRAI more flexible and rational for the operators.
