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The Indian telecom sector, represented by the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), includes major players such as Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea, and Reliance Jio. Recently, COAI has raised concerns regarding the new stringent Quality of Service (QoS) norms introduced by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). These new regulations, which aim to enhance service quality, will take effect in October 2024.
TRAI’s revised parameters require a more detailed analysis of QoS, focusing on critical metrics such as network availability, call drop rates, and voice packet loss rates at the cell level, both for uplinks and downlinks.
In a statement, COAI emphasized that telecom operators are already committed to delivering high-quality network services. They have adopted advanced technologies and automation tools, including predictive maintenance and AI-driven analytics, to proactively resolve network issues. Additionally, significant initiatives are underway to fiber-optic-enable towers across India, a vital step for the effective rollout of 5G services.
Despite these efforts, COAI highlighted persistent challenges at the operational level. Issues such as obtaining Right of Way (RoW) permissions, the use of unauthorized boosters and repeaters, theft of telecom equipment, and other external factors significantly impact the quality of services provided to consumers.
TRAI has mandated that telecom operators submit QoS data monthly rather than quarterly, with requirements for reporting at the site and cell level in many instances. COAI has expressed apprehension regarding these new QoS measures, noting that similar stringent regulations are not observed in other comparable economies. They contend that these measures will increase the compliance cost burden on telecom operators without delivering proportional benefits to customers.
COAI stated, “While we are disappointed with the stringency of these new regulations, we remain committed to engaging constructively with TRAI on QoS-related matters.”
