The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has suggested a slew of initiatives for telecom infrastructure companies, including giving tax holiday to them under Section 80IA of the income-tax laws.

The regulator has also proposed bringing tower companies under the purview of the unified access licence regime, which means they will have to pay licence fee. Tower companies at present do not pay any fee to the Government.

Issuing its recommendations on ‘Telecommunications Infrastructure Policy', the TRAI has suggested that tower companies should be allowed to share active infrastructure including radio equipment, antenna, feeder cables and transmission systems, once they are brought under the unified access licence regime.

Passive infrastructure

At present, tower firms are allowed to share only passive infrastructure such as towers, and generator. Active infrastructure would enable operators to lower their cost of operations further.

On the issue of Right of Way, TRAI has suggested that the DoT should fix a time limit of 45 days for grant of permission by the local authorities and uniform charges for laying cables.

Currently, the service providers and the telecom infrastructure providers are facing a number of problems with the local civic authorities with regard to Right of Way permissions and heavy charges imposed by the local authorities for installation of telecom towers.

To address the issue of poor indoor mobile coverage, TRAI has suggested that all Ministries in Central Government should be advised to provide in building solutions within next one year, in all its buildings, including central PSU buildings, Airports and buildings falling under their jurisdiction and control.

The regulator said that all State Governments also have to be advised to mandate, within next one year, in-building solutions in all buildings including hospitals having more than 100 beds and shopping malls of more than 25000 square feet super built area.

MNVO licence

TRAI also proposed further changes in the Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNO) licence, which is being finalised by the Telecom Ministry. It said that a unified licensee who does not possess spectrum should be allowed to work as an MVNO in any licensed service area.

“MVNO may be allowed to set up its own infrastructure including mobile switching, Radio Access Network (RAN)/Base Station Subsystem etc., if required,” TRAI said.

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