New Delhi
Telecom regulator TRAI has said the rollout obligations prescribed by it as part of the recent spectrum recommendations are easy, fair and rational, and fully in line with global 5G norms.
Responding to the telecom industry’s views that minimum rollout obligations are a ‘retrograde step’ and should be done away with, a senior TRAI official told PTI that the regulator’s recommendations are aimed at ensuring efficient use of radiowaves for the maximum benefit of telecom consumers.
The rollout obligations are reasonable and the logic is well-explained in TRAI’s recommendation document, the official said, adding that the minimum rollout obligations have been prescribed in other 5G markets as well.
Moreover, the network rollout terms spelt out by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) are easy and simple, the official added.
Further, the official said that TRAI is duty-bound to see that the benefits of 5G are available to not only the service providers but also to customers and citizens, and accordingly, the recommendations aim to ensure efficient utilisation of the spectrum.
Not prescribing minimum rollout conditions may lead to underutilisation of spectrum resources, given that the pricing of radiowaves has been recommended with near 40 per cent cut across bands, the official noted.
Explaining the math behind the rollout conditions, the official also pointed out that the regulator looked at 4G rollout average of five years and prescribed one-fourth of those levels that too spread over different circles for the next 3-5 years.
If an operator leverages an existing tower or street furniture and adds small cells, it will be treated as a site under the rollout obligations, the official added.
