[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The Department of Telecommunications has clarified that it will consider tower providers as licensees under right-of-way rules. The tower industry, which had been excluded from the purview of these rules so far, had been demanding inclusion. Welcoming the move, the tower industry said it would facilitate infrastructure providers to establish the base for future technologies, including 5G.
As per the right-of-way rules, the tower manufacturers can file online applications in a bid to minimise the hassles that the sector faces in building infrastructure. The rules may help companies get land from state governments and local bodies within a time limit, with standard procedures that the telecom companies and the government authorities would follow.
In November 2016, the Department of Telecommunications had issued rules on installing telecom towers and cables, providing a framework for granting approvals and settling disputes in a time-bound manner, as well as facilitating coordination between companies and the government authorities.However, despite the fact that tower and infrastructure providers are vital in setting up the required infrastructure for telcos, it kept them outside the purview of the regulation.
The DoT statement issued on 23 May 2018 clarified that under clause 2 (d) of the said rules, ‘licensee’ includes Infrastructure Provider – Category I (IP-I) authorised to establish and maintain dark fibre, right of way, duct space and towers and either lease, rent or sell them out to telecom service providers on mutually agreed terms and conditions. The DoT further clarified that the IP-I registrants should not work and operate or provide telegraph service including end-to-end bandwidth as defined in the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, either to any service provider or any other customer.
As of May 2018, tower providers have installed more than 4.71 lakh towers mounted with 18 lakh base stations to facilitate seamless network connectivity to over 1 billion subscribers throughout India. However, subscribers have complained about call drops and poor broadband connectivity, inadequate infrastructure has been blamed. Moreover, the fear of radiation forces many people and municipal
authorities to oppose installation of towers in their localities.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
