Several states are mapping the use of street furniture to ease 5G rollout in India. Sites such as electric poles, traffic lights, bus terminals, bus shelters and government buildings are being monitored.
To this end, the logistics division of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has issued a memorandum to all the states to map these sites. With this, the country is aiming to use small cell technology for the 5G rollout.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has also concluded a pilot survey on street furniture in Madhya Pradesh. Meanwhile, the Bhaskaracharya Institute of Space Applications and Geoinformatics (BISAG-N) located in Gujarat has been helping the states in the mapping exercise. Further, the government is also facilitating the launch of 5G services by continuously issuing letters to chief secretaries. It will now allow service providers to use street infrastructure at Rs 150 in rural areas and Rs 300 in urban areas.
