Telecom towers and optical fibre cables (OFC) used to be devoid of innovative and smart components; however, with the rise of digitalisation, towers have become smarter, and internet of things (IoT)-powered asset management, drone-based tower inspections, and mobile applications for operations and maintenance have since gained traction. Further, towercos have started diversifying and exploring opportunities in the edge data centres, smart poles and electric vehicle (EV) charging domains. The government’s renewed focus on the BharatNet project and the rise of in-building solutions such as small cells, distributed antenna systems (DAS), fibre-to-the-home and Wi-Fi have opened up a plethora of opportunities across the infrastructure value chain.
A look at the key developments across the digital infrastructure space…
The rise of smart towers, smart poles and monopoles
Recently, towercos have started setting up tower operations centres, which enable the real-time monitoring of sites, digitalisation of field operations, predictive analytics on operations and real-time GPS-based mapping for disaster management. Smart rental and energy billing are also gaining popularity in the sector. It offers higher accuracy and reduced billing time, customised invoice formats and ease of tenancy movement for telcos.
In addition, towercos have started adopting innovative tower designs, which help in optimising the cost of buildout. For instance, smart poles give towercos the opportunity to monetise various adjacencies. In fact, these smart poles are fast emerging as the preferred medium of tower deployment among industry players. Amidst the rising uptake of EV charging in India, these poles offer ideal locations for setting up charging stations and are expected to witness increased traction in the coming years.
Smart poles work by using small-cell base stations that are housed within the pole. They act as city nodes that capture data on traffic, weather and pollution levels through an array of sensors. The arrangement is extremely cost-effective, as the sensors can draw power from the light pole and utilise the communication infrastructure embedded in it, thus saving implementation costs, since no dedicated site is required for providing sensors. This helps in reducing the need to construct multiple urban poles. Further, since they work within a city’s street lighting infrastructure, smart poles make it possible for city planners to densify urban network capacity and coverage at their own pace with minimal disruption. Once installed, IoT capabilities can form the integral building blocks of a municipality’s smart city initiative. In addition, smart pole systems have an advantage over conventional street lights in terms of reduced maintenance costs, real-time control and reduced environmental impact.
Monopoles are another type of tower structure being scaled up. These poles are considered to be among of the least intrusive and easy-to-install telecom towers. They can be designed as per height and location feasibility and are equipped with a variety of accessories such as platforms, antenna mounts, safety devices, obstruction lights and lightning protection kits. All the accessories can be installed at any desired height and orientation according to customer requirements.
Focus on in-building connectivity
Smart building solutions that ensure uninterrupted network services and seamless indoor connectivity are witnessing increased adoption. To this end, building owners and developers are working in tandem with communication service providers to implement the right infrastructure that will provide seamless wireless coverage. In a consultation paper issued in 2023, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) specified standards and specifications to ensure that all buildings comply with the minimum network requirements for adequate indoor connectivity. This included factors such as the type of building materials used, the size of the space, and the number of users expected to be connected at any given time. Additionally, TRAI recommended the installation of DAS to ensure seamless coverage throughout the building. Through the consultation paper, TRAI highlighted the need for assessing and improving wireless and wired connectivity within buildings. The consultation process also highlighted the importance of surveying, planning and implementing high-quality in-building networks. To facilitate this, TRAI suggested creating an ecosystem involving multiple skilled agencies and small-to-medium system integrators who can offer their services to building managers, real estate developers and others involved in construction projects.
Leveraging street furniture for 5G network densification
On the policy front, leveraging street furniture for densifying 5G networks has emerged as a key theme. To this end, the government introduced the Indian Telegraph Right of Way (Amendment) Rules, 2023, which pushes for expediting the 5G roll-out by utilising the state’s existing infrastructure, simplifying application procedures for multiple small cell sites and allocating central government areas for small cell deployment at no cost.
Under the amendment, the term “street furniture” had also been defined, encompassing posts or poles used for electricity, street lights, traffic lights, traffic signs, bus stops, tram stops, taxi stands, public lavatories, memorials, public sculptures, utility poles, or any other structure or contrivance of such nature established over the property of an appropriate authority. Further, licensees have the option of submitting a single application for multiple sites, for which the appropriate authority will make due provisions and issue a single permission for multiple sites accordingly for the establishment of small cells.
This initiative lays the groundwork for establishing appropriate incentives for stakeholders to leverage the already installed street furniture and deepen 5G penetration within the country.
Role of fibre in supporting digitalisation
OFC networks are playing a crucial role in the digital infrastructure space. As of 2023, 24, 676,996 km of OFC was laid under the BharatNet project. In fact, the project witnessed a renewed focus during 2023 with the union cabinet approving an outlay of Rs 1.39 trillion for the project. With the upgrade, the government aims to modernise the BharatNet project by changing its execution strategy and providing fibre connections to the last mile through village-level entrepreneurs.
Further, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) announced that it was working towards the development of around 10,000 km of digital highways or OFC infrastructure across the country by financial year 2024-25. National Highways Logistics Management Limited, a fully owned special purpose vehicle of NHAI, will implement the network of digital highways by developing integrated utility corridors along national highways to develop OFC infrastructure. Around 1,367 km on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway and 512 km on the Hyderabad-Bangalore Corridor have been identified as pilot routes for digital highway development.
Challenges and outlook
Amidst rising adoption, several challenges have to be addressed to scale up digital infrastructure. For instance, choosing the right location for a smart pole is a challenge. Smart city implementation authorities need to consider a lot of factors to ensure that the benefits of smart poles reach the majority of the city’s population. Further, the positioning and design of smart pole infrastructure should be such that it can be leveraged by telcos and technology providers. Another key issue is the lack of storage capabilities for the huge quantum of data generated by sensors. The higher upfront cost associated with these towers compared to traditional poles is another impediment. Although smart poles can significantly save costs in the long term by reducing the energy consumption of street lighting and offering other facilities such as EV charging, pollution sensors and Wi-Fi connectivity, the initial installation cost is very high.
Moreover, there are several issues that must be addressed to optimise the utilisation of street furniture. Considering that street furniture comes under the jurisdiction of various public and private authorities such as municipal bodies, smart city administrations, state and central government departments, railways, airports, ports, metros and stadiums, a fast and cost-effective approval process needs to be established. Further, to make street furniture suitable for deploying small cell networks, it is essential for it to have the capacity to accommodate power infrastructure, antennas and associated fibre, and other cabling equipment. To this end, administrative authorities must ensure the availability of electricity and proper backhaul facilities at any street furniture designated for small cell deployment. Moreover, for street furniture that is still under construction or in the planning stage, city authorities and telecom infrastructure companies must collaborate to ensure that its design is suitable for successful small cell deployments.
Once these issues are ironed out, the scope of digital infrastructure expansion in India will broaden. A major step in this direction is the new Indian Telecommunications Act, which paves the way for modernisation. In particular, it recognises telecom as critical infrastructure, which represents a watershed moment in the telecom reform process and reaffirms the government’s commitment to provide the industry with a future-fit framework for strengthening digital infrastructure that will help achieve the growth aspirations of a new India
