The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has announced that it will waive the testing fee for telecom operators in compliance with 5G rollout obligations. This decision comes as the telecom operators were required to meet these rollout obligations by August 17, 2023, specifically for 5G deployment in the 3.3 GHz and 26 GHz spectrum bands.
Major telecom players like Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio successfully fulfilled their rollout obligations within the stipulated timeframe. However, Vodafone Idea (Vi) partially met these obligations by conducting 5G testing in select areas, specifically Pune and Delhi. Vi’s failure to meet the complete rollout obligations as mandated by the government has not yet resulted in an official penalty announcement from the DoT. Nonetheless, there are pre-established penalty guidelines for telecom operators that do not meet the minimum rollout requirements.
The DoT’s decision to waive the testing fee applies to telecom operators providing sites for compliance verification with rollout obligations. This zero-fee arrangement is specifically applicable to the 3300 MHz and 26 GHz spectrum bands.
Reliance Jio has managed to achieve 5G coverage in over 96% of census towns, demonstrating substantial progress in its 5G rollout efforts. Bharti Airtel has reported coverage in more than 5,000 towns and cities with its 5G network. Both telecom giants have adopted distinct strategies for their 5G deployments. On the other hand, Vi’s inability to launch 5G comprehensively within the rollout obligations timeline has been attributed to financial constraints.
Vi has been actively seeking successful fundraising opportunities, which are critical for the procurement of equipment from suppliers like Nokia and Ericsson to support their 5G network infrastructure. The DoT had previously outlined penalty provisions for non-compliance, including weekly penalty fees and the potential withdrawal of spectrum allocation. Adani Data Networks is another telecom entity that has not met the minimum rollout obligations, which may warrant further scrutiny from the regulatory authority.
