Stories
TRAI Pushes for Mobile Connectivity Planning in New Buildings Before Construction
- •TRAI Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti highlighted that indoor mobile connectivity remains a major challenge as 4G and 5G networks expand across India.
- •The regulator is pushing for in-building solutions and a digital connectivity rating framework to ensure reliable mobile signals inside properties.
- •TRAI recommends incorporating digital infrastructure during the design and construction stages rather than retrofitting after occupation.
- •A revised rating framework now allows half-star ratings and evaluations at planning, construction, and final commissioning stages, alongside an audit process for existing buildings.
- •TRAI is actively conducting workshops to overcome the lack of awareness among developers, government agencies, and consumers about pre-construction connectivity planning.
Key Questions Answered
TRAI is pushing for the integration of in-building solutions, such as distributed antenna systems, during the design and construction phases of buildings. Additionally, the regulator has introduced a digital connectivity rating framework and platform to assess and display the quality of indoor mobile and broadband infrastructure.
The revised framework features a nine-level scale using half-star increments and allows properties to be evaluated across planning, construction, and final commissioning stages. Property managers can apply through the DCR platform for formal ratings, while an audit process is also available for existing buildings to identify infrastructure gaps.
Indoor connectivity challenges are growing because mobile signals weaken when passing through thick building materials like concrete, a problem that becomes more prominent with the expansion of 4G, 5G mid-band frequencies, and rising data demands driven by AI.
