India, having moved fast on the digital transformation and 5G rollouts, still grapples with one perennial and often underrated challenge: indoor mobile coverage. Almost 80% of mobile usage happens indoors, and the majority of areas are still overwhelmed with weak signals, calls could drop at any time, or some sporadic data speeds, with this disparity being an irritant; it is essentially an infrastructure gap in the digital-first living space. Notably, the mobile networks were built with outdoor use in mind. Macro tower signals pass well in outdoor spaces; however, when passing through dense materials used in construction, such as concrete, steel, and glass, their strength is considerably diminished. Energy-efficient buildings, in all their sustainable goodness, often become barriers to high-frequency signals, those used by 4G and 5G networks. Large outdoor-covered cities end up with huge indoor dead zones.
Buildings Are Not Telecom-Ready by Design
Unlike other established utilities like electricity and water, mobile connectivity infrastructure rarely makes its way into building design considerations. Typically, telecom operators would have little or no allocation provided by building developers for a single piece of telecom equipment or its ducting or any form of basic RF planning whatsoever. Thus, providing solutions in already constructed buildings becomes a retrofitting nightmare that is hugely time-consuming and expensive. Today’s in-building solutions are extremely tailored by building size, construction, usage, and operator needs. From Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) in skyscrapers to small cells in shopping centers or hospitals, every setting requires a different solution. But implementing such solutions in thousands of buildings each with their own permissions, expectations, and infrastructure limitations, is a tall order for telecom service providers. Furthermore, higher frequency bands required for 5G make dense indoor networks more imperative.
Economic Barriers for Operators
In-building installations require substantial financial investment on the part of telecommunication operators with uncertain returns in many cases. In low buildings or areas of low foot traffic, paying for dedicated installation may not cover the commercial incentives. Moreover, when every operator has to lay down their system, there’s duplication of work and infrastructure done, increasing costs and piling up the mess, all without much coordination. In India Neutral Host model is widely available and working already. This model has been recently challenged by Mobile Operators as they feel they are paying lot more money than what they should pay for providing Mobile Infra, as the cost of Capex for Mobile Infra is further being loaded by the Markup of Neutral host and rentals being charged by building owners. They simply want to cut these costs over and above the cost of Capex required for building infrastructure for In-building.
Regulatory Push and Policy Alignment
Though the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has recognized the significance of in-building solutions through multiple consultations, its implementation is still patchy. What is required is a regulatory environment that promotes telecom-ready construction practices, streamlines permissions, and harmonizes agreements between service providers and building owners. Regulations for spectrum sharing, infrastructure sharing, and expedited right-of-way approvals can drive wider deployment of indoor coverage solutions. A universal recognition that digital connectivity must be seen as an infrastructure as basic as water, electricity, and sanitation. Like fire escapes and backup power in every new building, telecom infrastructure needs to become an assumed component of buildings going forward. New design standards, clearly defined roles for all the various stakeholders, and educating developers and residents will be necessary to make this change.
Bridging the Indoor Connectivity Gap: A Matter of Infrastructure and Collaboration
The ecosystem is evolving with a focus on practical, infrastructure-driven solutions such as Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS), small cells, and repeaters. These solutions are designed to deal with signal penetration challenges offered across different structures and usage scenarios in buildings. This limitation can be addressed by telecom operators, infrastructure providers, real estate developers, and policymakers who need to work together to create connectivity-enabled buildings.
From Infrastructure Gaps to Integrated Solutions
Indoor Coverage in India is no longer about how accessible technology is, but is all about finding the correct infrastructure to be installed in areas where it is needed the most. Since mobile usage is largely indoor, it is essential that telecommunication infrastructure receive attention along with building design, having been considered and planned as electricity and water. There are practical solutions for application on existing buildings to augment indoor coverage, such as Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS), small cells, repeaters, and signal boosters. These systems are most important for those locations with high alertness in signal condition: commercial buildings, hospitals, and high-rise residential buildings, which generally have signal penetration problems.
Shared infrastructure models such as neutral hosts offer the possibility to cut down on duplication and foster cost efficiencies. Nevertheless, there are ongoing questions about longevity, as telecom operators are worried about substantial recurring charges and excessive layering of costs. Any in-building solution is successful only when backed up by a strong physical infrastructure, a strategy for collaboration among stakeholders, and an optimized cost structure. To ensure that indoor connectivity can be delivered on a scaled basis with economic feasibility, a joint effort among telecom operators, policymakers, infrastructure developers, and owners will be imperative.