Telecom cos seek level-playing field in 5G operations

NEW DELHI: Telecom service providers have asked the department of telecommunications (DoT) to ensure that captive 5G networks adhere to all rules and regulations related to quality of service, security requirements, enable lawful interception by enforcement agencies among others, while remaining completely isolated from commercial networks and are set up only by end-user enterprises.

In a letter to telecom minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and telecom secretary K Rajaraman, the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), which represents all carriers including Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea, have opposed captive networks as permitted in the notice inviting applications (NIA) issued by the government while announcing the auctions.

The service providers have laid down nearly two-dozen conditions that captive networks should comply with so that same-service-same-rules principles be applied to ensure a level--playing field, in the communication, which is the first official response to the NIA, the official document laying down guidelines of the spectrum auctions. “We reiterate that all the steps listed by us are aimed at ensuring orderly growth of the sector and maintain investors‘ confidence. Any guidelines for setting up captive non-public network (CNPN) by obtaining spectrum directly from the department of telecommunications (DoT) should be issued only after a demand study by the DoT and subsequent recommendations of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India,” the COAI said in the communication sent on June 18, which has been seen by Mint.

Telcos have said captive networks should not be permitted on 2G, 3G or 4G technologies and should only be assigned spectrum only in the non-IMT band. “The allocation of IMT band spectrum to CNPN is likely to fetch minuscule revenue compared to auction of such spectrum for public networks,” said the letter.

Every network element for CNPN should comply with the requirements of trusted product or trusted source set by the government, the association said. Any equipment should be installed only after obtaining approval from the National Security Council Secretariat, it said. “Given the geopolitical and cybersecurity risks and to mitigate national security concerns, CNPNs should be permitted only after installing lawful interception equipment and providing connectivity to law enforcement agencies,” the association said.