WFH has TRAI wanting to know ideas to improve broadband connectivity

Sensing rising demand for better broadband connectivity from people as more and more companies opt for work from home for their staff, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) on Thursday floated a consultation paper seeking comments to improve those services.

The telecom regulator has asked stakeholders to share their inputs on the ways to augment penetration and performance of broadband networks amid rising consumer demand for internet connectivity.

It has also sought the roadmap to enhance broadband speed to achieve the National Digital Communications Policy (NDCP) 2018 objective of 50 megabits per second (Mbps).

The regulator has sought comments on four issues – defining fixed and mobile broadband, innovative approaches for infrastructure creation, promoting broadband connectivity, and measures to be taken for enhancing broadband speed.

In its consultation paper ‘Roadmap to Promote Broadband Connectivity and Enhanced Broadband Speed’, Trai said stakeholders could submit their comments by 21 September and counter comments by 5 October.

Trai chair RS Sharma on Tuesday said the country needs to ramp up its broadband infrastructure as wireless networks still have issues of “reliability and continuity”. The government should use cable television networks to build broadband infrastructure, he added, while addressing an event organised by the Broadband India Forum.

The department of telecommunications (DoT) has sought recommendations on broadband connectivity from Trai, which in turn has asked stakeholders to share their views. The DoT wants suggestions on different speeds for different categories that is fixed line versus wireless or mobile connectivity, with upload and download speeds defined.

“DoT has sought the recommendations of Trai for implementing NDCP-2018 strategies by encouraging innovative approaches to infrastructure creation and access including through resale and Virtual Network Operators,” Trai said in its paper.

The DoT also wants to know how India can replicate the European model, which has defined speeds in different categories such as broadband, high-broadband & ultra-high broadband. Live Mint