The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has sought the health ministry’s immediate intervention to enable mobile carriers to install towers in hospitals across the country. This follows reports of rising instances of call drops at healthcare centres.
DoT has requested the health ministry to issue suitable instructions to all hospitals within its jurisdiction, including private facilities to readily permit all mobile carriers on equal terms to install necessary telecom equipments inside the hospital premises. This would ensure that patients and visitors to hospitals do not face mobile connectivity problems. DoT has also urged the health ministry to pave the way for mobile carriers to set up in-building solutions (IBSs) within the hospital premises where indoor mobile coverage issues are more complex.
Lack of adequate mobile towers is often considered the main reason behind call drops. To this end, DoT and the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) had also agreed to permit installation of mobile towers at government buildings. The central government has also asked the states governments to allow mobile tower installations on government buildings within their jurisdiction.
