TRAI Responds To DoT On Telecom Infra Sharing, Spectrum Sharing And Leasing

New Delhi: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued its response to the back-reference received from Department of Telecommunications (DoT) in respect of TRAI’s recommendations dated 24.04.2024 on ‘Telecommunication Infrastructure Sharing, Spectrum Sharing, and Spectrum Leasing’.

Earlier, DoT, through a reference dated 07.12.2021 under Section 11 (1) (a) of the TRAl Act, 1997, requested TRAI to provide recommendations on allowing sharing of core network elements such as MSC, HLR, IN etc., among telecom operators. Subsequently, DoT, through a reference dated 10.02.2022, mentioning its earlier reference dated 07.12.2021, informed that “to promote optimum resource utilization among the licensees, it is proposed to allow sharing of all kinds of telecom infrastructure and network elements among all categories of service providers licensed under the Section 4 of Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 for provision of authorized telecom services”, and requested TRAI to provide recommendations on the subject.

Considering the request of stakeholders to permit inter-band spectrum sharing and leasing of spectrum in the country, the Authority decided to take up the issues related to spectrum sharing and spectrum leasing along with the issues related to infrastructure sharing in the stakeholders’ consultation.

After a comprehensive consultation with stakeholders, TRAI sent its recommendations on ‘Telecommunication Infrastructure Sharing, Spectrum Sharing, and Spectrum Leasing’ to DoT on 24.04.2024.

Subsequently, DoT, through a back-reference dated 13.02.2025, informed TRAI that as per Section 11(1) of the TRAI Act 1997 (as amended), such recommendations on ‘Telecommunication Infrastructure Sharing, Spectrum Sharing, and Spectrum Leasing’ dated 24.04.2024, where the Government has reached a prima-facie conclusion that these recommendations may not be accepted or may need modification are being referred back to TRAI for its reconsideration.

In this regard, after a careful examination, TRAI has sent its response to the back-reference to DoT. TRAI’s response to the back-reference has also been placed on the TRAI’s website (www.trai.gov.in).