With 5G adoption gaining momentum across the country, cities need to become smarter by leveraging such technologies to bundle services and enhance the comfort, safety and the overall quality of life for their residents. At the same time, telecom service providers (TSPs) need to explore new use cases and avenues to monetise 5G in order to generate returns on their investments in fibre networks, small cells, base transceiver stations (BTSs) and in-building solutions (IBSs).
The use of street furniture by TSPs presents a win-win opportunity. According to the Telecommunications Act, 2023, “street furniture” refers to any post or pole used for electricity, street lighting, traffic lights and signs, metro lines and pillars, signboards, hoardings, kiosks and utility poles accessible to the public.
A look at the current deployment status of critical 5G infrastructure, the types and applications of smart street furniture, and the key challenges and opportunities…
Deployment status of 5G foundation elements
Higher frequency bands for 5G services require both macrocells and a dense network of small cells. Small cells refer to low-powered radio access nodes or base stations that may operate in licensed or unlicensed spectrum and provide localised coverage. Additionally, a BTS is a fixed radio transceiver in a mobile network that connects mobile devices to the network. There are 478,000 5G BTSs in the country as of March 2025. According to Analysys Mason, the pan-India demand for small cell sites is projected to rise from 138,000 in FY 2024 to 386,000 in FY 2030.
Meanwhile, estimates suggest that 80 per cent of internet data in the country is consumed indoors, underscoring the importance of robust IBs. However, India’s tower fiberisation currently stands at 44 per cent, which could significantly impact the quality of newly launched 5G services in terms of voice quality and data speeds. Under the government’s BharatNet programme, as of March 2025, 4.21 million route km of fibre and over 104,574 Wi-Fi hotspots have been installed across the country. Analysts estimate that an investment of Rs 2 trillion-Rs 3 trillion will be required to achieve adequate tower fiberisation and further increase tower deployment.
While India has been a frontrunner in the global 5G roll-out, these figures highlight the need to strengthen the infrastructure to maintain this momentum. Leveraging street furniture is an effective way to address this issue.
Types and applications of smart street furniture
Telcos are utilising street furniture to mount radio equipment and associated infrastructure, helping expand their footprint. This is an economical business model that delivers quick results by eliminating the need for greenfield towers or poles for small cell deployment, significantly reducing the installation time for critical assets.
Using street furniture for 5G expansion also helps TSPs lower their carbon emissions by minimising the environmental impact of network deployment. TSPs also benefit from improved data speeds and reduced signal dropouts, leading to improved customer experiences. Meanwhile, authorities that own street furniture stand to gain from 5G use cases while opening up an additional revenue stream by leasing these assets to telcos. The types of street furniture are as follows:
Smart poles: Equipped with Internet of Things(IoT) sensors, cameras, digital displays and communication modules, smart poles are transforming urban landscapes. Their benefits range from energy efficiency (LED lighting, solar energy harvesting and intelligent control systems) and environmental monitoring (tracking air quality, temperature, humidity, and noise levels) to enhanced safety (real-time monitoring of public spaces) and advanced connectivity (EV charging hotspots). For instance, the New Delhi Municipal Council has installed smart poles with panic buttons near the gates of 43 school buildings, 16 metro stations and other sensitive spots.
Smart traffic signals: Intelligent traffic lights rely on vehicle detection cameras to adjust signal timings according to traffic density, speed and other relevant factors, thereby reducing congestion. They also anticipate future traffic flow by using predictive algorithms that examine historical traffic patterns and current conditions. A case in point is Gurugram, where 104 smart traffic signals have been deployed over the past year.
Smart benches: Seats fitted with solar panels are being used for multiple purposes including data-driven urban planning (checking air quality, temperature and pedestrian flow), connectivity (USB charging ports, wireless charging pads and Wi-Fi hotspots) and rainwater harvesting. Some models also enhance security by supporting GPS tracking. For example, in Kolkata, smart solar benches are lighting up urban spaces.
Digital kiosks: Through the integration of AI-powered chatbots that offer consumers immediate assistance, digital kiosks facilitate information access. By providing services like travel information, route directions and trip package data, these kiosks function as digital information hubs. Under the Smart Digital Kiosk project, Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited installed solar-powered kiosks to facilitate bill payments, ticket booking and navigation, and provide city information services at major transit points in the city.
Smart bins: IoT-enabled trash cans maximise the effectiveness of waste collection. These bins are equipped with weight sensors, which allow for automatic collection schedules and real-time monitoring, reduced fuel usage and lower operating expenses. Odour-monitoring systems help maintain hygiene, while temperature and fire-risk sensors improve safety. These bins have been deployed in Bengaluru, Chennai and Gandhinagar.
Regulatory developments
In order to promote the development of smart street infrastructure, the government and regulatory authorities have taken several initiatives. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), for instance, released the draft manual for the assessment of rating of properties for digital connectivity under the Rating of Properties for Digital Connectivity Regulations, 2024 on May 13, 2025. Further, in 2024, TRAI recommended to that the Department of Telecom (DoT) explore the possibility of directing the universal service providers to share passive infrastructure established under the project with a minimum of two other telecom service providers in a transparent and non-discriminatory manner. However, according to a document issued by the telecom regulator in March 2025, DoT rejected TRAI’s recommendation.
TRAI also shared its recommendations in November 2022 on the use of street furniture for small cells and aerial fibre. It laid a strong emphasis on stronger security monitoring of telecom equipment and collaboration among service providers when several requests are made for the same street furniture. Additionally, TRAI proposed the creation of a “National Fibre Authority” to supervise above-ground telecom infrastructure, the prohibition of exclusive contracts to guarantee non-discriminatory use of street furniture, and the pooling of street infrastructure between central and state government organisations.
On the policy front, the enactment of the Telecommunication Act, 2023, along with the associated Right of Way (RoW) Rules, 2024, has laid the foundation for robust public infrastructure in the country. The regulations aim to streamline approval processes, promote infrastructure sharing and accelerate service roll-outs. By reducing deployments costs and simplifying RoW applications, they are expected to significantly drive the expansion of public infrastructure.
Stumbling blocks
One of the challenges in deploying street furniture is the high initial cost, particularly for smart poles, which is significantly greater than that of traditional street lights. This restricts widespread deployment, limiting adoption to a few urban regions that receive significant funding. Even when implemented, inadequate maintenance procedures can undermine long-term operational efficiency.
Another major hurdle is identifying and securing appropriate locations with reliable power supply and backhaul connectivity, especially in crowded city environments where space is limited and existing infrastructure may not meet technical requirements. Moreover, the physical condition of street furniture must be assessed to ensure that it can support the weight of telecom equipment. Key technical factors include structural stability, heat dissipation, wind resistance and the availability of battery backup, crucial to ensuring operational safety and reliability.
The deployment process is further complicated by administrative challenges, particularly the need for coordination among multiple entities responsible for street furniture management. These entities may include municipal corporations, smart city agencies, various state and central departments, and as authorities for airports, ports, metro systems, railways and stadiums.
To fully leverage the potential of street furniture for supporting 5G networks, its capacity must be enhanced. This involves upgrading sites to support the necessary power infrastructure, antennas, fibre and related cabling systems. Administrative bodies must ensure that electricity and suitable backhaul connections are readily available at designated locations to enable seamless deployment.
Outlook
In sum, the seamless integration of smart street furniture with cutting-edge technologies is essential to India’s progress towards a digitally linked future.
