DoT Allows Active Infrastructure Sharing, Satellite Backhaul

On Friday, the DoT made amendments to the licensing norms to allow active infrastructure sharing among telcos, including core networks. Also, the telecom department has said yes for allowing satcom players to provide backhaul support to telcos.

DoT Gives Green Light to Active Infrastructure Sharing, Satellite Backhaul

In an order on Friday, the DoT said, "the Licensee may share its own active and passive infrastructure for providing other services authorized to it under any other telecom license issued by Licensor". Previously, DoT only allowed telcos to share tower infrastructure and some active electronic components in the network. However, now the telecom department has amended the License Conditions to allow active infrastructure sharing. This includes sharing core networks between telcos as well.

Industry body COAI said, "we welcome the amendment in License Conditions further enhancing sharing of active infrastructure between telecom operators. It was our long-pending ask. At present, active infrastructure sharing was allowed to TSPs only for antenna, feeder cable, Node B and transmission systems".

Lieutenant General (Retd.) Dr. SP Kochhar, DG, COAI, said, "the allowing of sharing of core network elements such as MSC, HLR, IN etc. among the TSPs will reduce the cost for the TSPs and facilitate faster rollout of services. This is a very progressive step which will go a long way in enhancing digital connectivity in India".

Network slicing, one of the most important aspects of 5G networks, will require infrastructure sharing to operate efficiently. This move will also prove beneficial as data traffic rises with 5G rollout; telcos can distribute load proactively, reducing downtime and increasing QoS.

On the same day, the DoT also made changes to the commercial VSAT license rules to allow satcom players to provide backhaul for telcos. The amendments will allow VSAT operators to provide "backhaul connectivity for cellular mobile services through satellite using VSAT to the access service providers". Along with satellite-based telecom backhaul, the DoT has also said yes for the same to deliver connectivity to WiFi hotspots.