The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released its recommendations on ?Improving Telecom Services in the North Eastern States: An Investment Plan?. The regulatory body has suggested that the government needs to invest about Rs 29 million in the north eastern region to improve telecom services.
The north eastern region comprises Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. Currently, the teledensity in these states stands at about 40 per cent. In fact, teledensity in majority of the villages is just about 10 per cent. According to TRAI, operators need to ensure 2G connectivity in the north eastern region, provide connectivity along the national highways and also roll out 3G services in town and cities.
In addition, TRAI has suggested that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) should offer a ?discount of two per cent of adjusted gross revenue of license fee? to operators who cover at least 80 per cent of habitations with a population of 250. It has also suggested providing subsidy to operators from Universal Service Obligation Fund for bandwidth charges through satellite connectivity, and subsidy for installation of solar power units at telecom tower sites.
The regulatory body has also recommended that Power Grid Corporation of India Limited and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited should consider leasing their unutilised fibre network to private operators and also reduce their bandwith leasing charges in the north eastern region. In its recommendations, TRAI has said that service providers should enter into 2G inter and intra circle roaming agreements within a period of six months for all the base transceiver stations along the national highways passing through the north eastern states. The move is aimed at improving connectivity along the highways. Currently, about one sixth (or 1,600 km) of the national highways in the region do not have telecom connectivity.
TRAI has also stated that the state governments should ensure availability of power supply to telecom towers in the region, and would have to offer government buildings and land for setting up new towers in the region. Further, the regulatory body has said that the state governments should also set up a single window clearance system for issuing objection certificates such as pollution, noise control, environment clearance, site acquisitions and commercial power supply.
TRAI?s recommendations come after DoT?s request to suggest measures to improve telecom services in the north eastern region.
