TRAI Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti said indoor mobile coverage remains a major gap and called for connectivity to be built into building design rather than fixed after construction.

Despite improvements in outdoor mobile coverage, indoor connectivity remains a major challenge for India's telecom sector, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti said in an exclusive interview with CNBC-TV18. Lahoti said the regulator is pushing for greater use of in-building solutions and a digital connectivity rating framework to improve the quality of mobile services inside buildings. “Indoor quality of coverage still remains a challenge,” Lahoti said.

The problem is particularly relevant as 4G and 5G networks expand. Mobile signals can weaken as they pass through walls, with the problem becoming more pronounced in large or multi-storey buildings where signals may have to travel through several layers of concrete and other materials. TRAI wants connectivity planned into buildings Lahoti said indoor connectivity should be considered when buildings are designed and constructed, rather than treated as a problem to be solved after occupants move in. One solution is an in-building system that uses a network of small antennas distributed across a property. The mobile signal is brought into the building and then distributed throughout the premises, helping provide more consistent coverage. “What it means is that you install small distributed antennas across the building, and the signal is brought to the building and distributed throughout it, so that you get a good digital connectivity experience throughout the building,” Lahoti said.

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