India : Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has today released its recommendations on ‘Improvement of Backhaul Telecom Infrastructure in Remote Areas of Himachal Pradesh’.
TRAI has been making continuous efforts from time to time to improve the backhaul and telecom infrastructure to provide better communication facilities especially in remote, hilly and high altitude areas of the country. The Authority had earlier on December 12, 2022 issued basic transmission in all the tehsils/talukas of the four districts (Chamba, Kullu, Lahaul-Spiti and Mandi) identified in the recommendations issued on ‘Telecom Connectivity and Infrastructure Improvement in Remote Areas of Himachal Pradesh’. Emphasized the need for a comprehensive investment plan for the backhaul network and also said that separate recommendations would be issued addressing this issue. These four districts of the state are located in remote areas and are less developed than other parts of the state, due to which they lack good telecommunication and backhaul infrastructure.
Following up on the above recommendations, TRAI conducted a comprehensive assessment of the basic transmission backhaul network in the above mentioned four districts of Himachal Pradesh. This work was done with extensive discussions with all concerned stakeholders including TSP, State Government officials, senior officials of security forces to gain internal knowledge of the ground situation.
Accordingly, with a view to establish a strong, sustainable and resilient backhaul telecom network in the region, the Authority suo motu finalized the recommendations on ‘Improvement of Backhaul Telecom Infrastructure in Remote Areas of Himachal Pradesh’. Such proactive efforts will ensure that modern and reliable telecommunication services are available even in geographically challenged areas.
The main points made in the recommendations are as follows:-
A separate dedicated fund from USOF or with budgetary support from the Central Government for high speed 4G/5G based cellular mobile coverage (including backhaul) in forward border areas of strategic importance in Himachal Pradesh and other states where large number of troops are deployed. There should be a fund. The operating expenses of such places should also be met from this fund.
Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) through BSNL should conduct a ground survey and provide funds for Optical Fiber Cable (OFC) backhaul connectivity from Tissa Block Headquarters to Udaipur via Pangi Block Headquarters.
DOT/USOF should again liaise with MoD to take on lease (on mutually agreed terms and conditions) a pair of OFCs from the private use OFC media network of the latter (also being a national asset) for five years. . So that ready-made OFC media resources are available to roll out 4G/5G based cellular mobile services and high-speed internet connectivity in forward areas along the border areas across the country. For this, separate funds from the USOF proposed in paragraph 2.28 of Chapter 2 or separate funds obtained from the budget support of the Central Government should be used. Further, a condition should be added in the contract document stating that it would be mandatory for the implementing agency nominated by USOF to build its own OFC fiber within five years of the contract award to meet the costs incurred by the USAF on lease. OFC media to be returned to fully operational reusable condition.
BSNL should take up IP-1 operation in the area of Chamba and Lahaul-Spiti districts respectively to utilize the readily available dark fiber. These dark fibers will facilitate the transformation of BSNL operations from radio/satellite-based to linear optical fiber based transmission backhaul at the block headquarters of Bharmour, Mehla, Tissa, Saloni and Spiti (KAZA) respectively. This strategic approach will not only leverage BSNL’s existing bandwidth capacity in the backhaul infrastructure but will also result in significant savings in operating expenses (OPEX) by eliminating the need to bear high VSAT bandwidth charges.
The Department of Telecommunications (DOT) should work with the Government of Himachal Pradesh to align its Right of Way Policy 2021 with the amendment to the Indian Telegraph Right of Way Rules 2016 dated 17.08.2022. The provisions of paragraph 6 (3) of Part II (Fees for Restoration) provide for the liability of the telecom licensee to promptly compensate for any loss caused while laying any underground telegraph infrastructure by a performance bank guarantee (restitution in case of immovable property). Instructions have been given to give an undertaking along with the amount (up to 20 percent of the fee).
The Department of Telecommunications vide its Office Memorandum No. F.No. A revised amendment to 19-1/2019 SU-I dated 12.10.2020 should be issued applicable to all Ministries/Departments of the Government of India, Central Public Sector Undertakings, all Autonomous Bodies under the Government of India etc. and containing the following provisions Has been included.Whichever is later, will provide ‘No Objection Certificate’. Failure to do so will result in the assumption that the No Objection Certificate has been granted.
In line with the recommendations issued earlier on 24.04.2023 on “Improving telecommunication availability and backhaul infrastructure in remote areas of Ladakh”, it has been recommended that:
All Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) operating in Lahaul & Spiti, Chamba, Mandi and Kullu districts of Himachal Pradesh, including agencies implementing existing and future USOF projects, are advised to use the services of any eligible licensed TSP/ISP without their Must provide access to available backhaul transmission resource capacity. This access should be provided under fair and non-discriminatory terms and conditions, whether through lease/rent or mutually agreed terms.
The authority recommends setting up a committee as soon as possible to facilitate resource mobilization and manufacture optical fiber based self-healing rings. This committee should be formed at the LSA level under the leadership of a senior officer of the Telecom Enforcement, Resource and Monitoring (TERM) field unit of Himachal Pradesh. The role of the Committee will, inter alia, be to resolve and review from time to time memoranda relating to sharing and pooling of resources at the LSA level.
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