The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released a consultation paper on "Regulation on Rating Framework for Digital Connectivity in Buildings or Areas". TRAI said that while there has been significant improvement in network coverage on the street, there are still gaps observed in meeting the coverage demands of users inside buildings/residential or commercial areas. TRAI looks after the quality of services (QoS) provided by the telcos in all parts of the nation. If the telcos don't meet the basic QoS, then they are penalised.
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The current telecom infrastructure needs to be upgraded, especially to provide coverage with 5G networks in scope. While the regulator and the government have given their nod to leverage street furniture to install small cells, a lot more work has to be done. Consumers have no choice but to rely on their fiber broadband connections inside their homes to get a decent connectivity experience. Relying on mobile networks would be a bad choice for most consumers due to network congestion scenarios as well as poor coverage.
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TRAI said, "the paper highlights the need for rating of buildings or areas for digital connectivity that meets not only the current expectations of the consumers but is also ready for future expansion or upgradation with the advancement of technologies or change in users' demand."
TRAI will accept written replies to the consultation paper until November 10, 2023. The time for counter comments will be until November 24, 2023. The regulatory body wants the experience of the consumers to stay consistent and good even when they are inside their homes. Consumers have been complaining of poor QoS from the telcos and the problems have only gone up since the arrival of 5G which led to issues such as call drops. Based on the comments on the consultation paper, TRAI will form its recommendations.
