MUMBAI: In a country obsessed with skyscrapers, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is more interested in what’s inside the walls—signal strength. On 22 May, TRAI issued a formal response to the department of telecommunications (DoT), which had sought clarifications on the regulator’s earlier recommendation for a new system to rate buildings and areas based on digital connectivity.

The recommendations in question—first proposed on 20 February 2023—aim to address the gnawing issue of poor signal penetration in buildings, despite India’s heady digital growth. While rooftop towers and fibre lines have made it to headlines, indoor connectivity has lagged, often trapped behind concrete, bureaucracy, and dated building codes.

TRAI pointed out that despite several policy nudges over the years, in-building connectivity continues to be a digital blind spot. With the fusion of IoT and smart workplaces on the rise, there is an urgent need to bake digital connectivity infrastructure (DCI) into the design of new buildings—much like water, electricity, or fire exits.

The 2023 recommendations call for a rating system embedded within local building bye-laws and municipal approvals. TRAI argues this will not only prepare buildings for the 5G era but also avoid a repeat of the signal dead zones plaguing 4G users. And with 6G already on the horizon, the Authority warns that the higher frequency bands used will face even steeper resistance from walls and materials.

TRAI’s formal response, now uploaded on its website, comes in reply to the DoT’s back-reference dated 19 March 2025. For those seeking fine print or footnotes, the advisor (QoS-I), Tejpal Singh, remains available for clarifications.