TRAI Seeks Comments On Introduction Of Digital Connectivity Infrastructure Provider Authorisation Under Unified License

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Saturday (11 February) released the consultation paper on ‘Introduction of Digital Connectivity Infrastructure Provider Authorisation under Unified License (UL)’.

Digita Connetivity Infrastructure plays a vital and leading role in successful implementation of various government schemes under Digital India, Make in India, Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), and development of Smart Cities, the TRAI said.

The regulator further said that the recently launched 5G will transform India into a broadband superhighway and improve the country's socio-economic structure.

In this light, its also imperative that new players are encouraged through conducive licensing framework for creation of both active and passive infrastructure, the TRAI said.

According to the regulator, this is likely to result in increased common sharable DCI and network resources, reduction in cost, attract investment, strengthen the service delivery segment, and could also prove to be catalyst in proliferation of 5G services for Industry 4.0, enterprise segment and various other use cases.

A robust Digital Connectivity Infrastructure (DCI) contributes significantly to economic development both by increasing productivity and by providing amenities that enhance the quality of life, it said.

The TRAI further said that it had received a reference from DoT in August last year, seeking recommendations regarding creation of a new category of license namely ‘Telecom Infrastructure License (TIL)” license and its terms and conditions of such license, applicable license fee etc.

"The purpose of this Consultation Paper (CP) on ‘Introduction of Digital Connectivity Infrastructure Provider Authorization under Unified License (UL)’ is to seek views of stakeholders on the proposed DCIP authorization under Unified License," TRAI said.

"Written comments on the Consultation Paper are invited from the stakeholders by 9 March 2023 and counter-comments, if any, by 23 March 2023," it added.

In the paper, TRAI has asked if there are any issues or hurdles envisaged in migration of IP-I (Infrastructure Provider) registered entities to the proposed DCIP authorisation under Unified License. It further asked what are these issues and what migratory guidelines need to be prescribed.

"What measures should be taken to ensure that DCIP Licensee lease/rent/sell their infrastructure to eligible service providers (i.e., DCI items, equipment, and system) on a fair, non-discriminatory, and transparent manner throughout the agreed period?" according to another question posed in the TRAI consultation paper.

The regulator has also sought stakeholders' views on how to ensure that DCIPs lease/rent/sell out the DCI items, equipment, and system within the limit of their designed network/ capacity so that the service delivery is not compromised at the cost of other eligible service providers.