As per the studies, 70-80 per cent mobile data consumption takes places inside buildings or indoor areas. High frequency bands are used to deliver high speed internet in 4G and 5G technologies. However, high frequency bands get attenuated at higher rate by the building fabric containing steel and concrete walls compared to 2G bands. With the exponential rise in quantum and speed of data consumption due to progressive digitisation of economy, governance and the society in general, good digital connectivity has become very important in the present age. Hence, the good in-building digital connectivity has become an essential requirement. To achieve seamless communication inside buildings, the digital connectivity infrastructure (DCI) must be planned and developed alongside other essential building services such as water, electricity, and safety systems.
According to TRAI, states and UTs can play a pivotal role to drive collaboration among property developers and telecom service providers for facilitating development of DCI in the projects through respective building byelaws. TRAI regulations envisage star ratings of properties for quality of digital connectivity like green building ratings of projects or energy efficiency ratings of appliances. The digital connectivity ratings will be live process and cover review of digital connectivity rating during lifecycle of the project. TRAI has already started the process of empanelment or registration of Digital Connectivity Rating Agencies (DCRAs).
Further, the rating of buildings for digital connectivity will provide uniform standard reference for creating DCI in the country. With adoption of rating framework in the bylaws, the end user of residential and commercial properties will be able to make informed choices at the time of buying or leasing the properties. Further, the quality of experience in public buildings will also improve with the help of rating framework. Under the regulation, the consumer may also seek review of ratings in case of degradation of digital connectivity in the property. Likewise, property managers can seek review of ratings if they carry out significant improvements.
