The central government of India may allow telecom companies to install towers at 1.55 lakh post offices across India.
The telecom minister has already discussed the issue with the department of posts (DoP) and has asked it to prepare a roadmap as to how they would make it happen. Thereafter telecom companies and the DoP would discuss the issue to work on rentals and other aspects.
The DoP is working on it, said a government official pointing out that post offices are in prime locations and by renting their space to telcos for installing mobile towers would help raise funds.
Lack of mobile towers has been the main reason behind call drops and the government has taken a policy decision where all government buildings must allow installation of towers. Telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has also written letters to CMs to facilitate this.
Telecom companies have complained that about 7,000 to 10,000 tower sites have been locked or shut down across major urban centres and have urged a national policy for installation of mobile owners.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India chairman RS Sharma told FE that it conducted a day-long test of the quality of networks for voice calls in Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur and four other cities on Monday to ascertain whether telecom companies have taken measures to address call drops. The tests would continue in the next few days. Trai has floated a discussion paper and is seeking suggestions for compensating customers for deficient mobile services.