By Saurabh Shukla

New Delhi: In a significant move to improve digital infrastructure, buildings across government and residential areas in India will soon be rated based on the quality of internet and mobile network connectivity. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has started appointing agencies to carry out this assessment. The objective is to provide clear information on connectivity levels to both residents and telecom operators. Current data indicates that 80 per cent of data consumption takes place indoors, yet there is no system in place to monitor or identify problem areas.

One of the TRAI empanelled countries’ initial Digital Connectivity Rating Agency, Shaurrya Teleservices, told ETV Bharat that they are planning to start work soon and expect to map the quality of telecom services in several real estate areas in a year. CEO of Shaurrya Teleservices, Mahesh Choudhary, said that we expect to map digital connectivity rating of around 10 million square feet of real estate comprising largely commercial complexes by the end of this fiscal year. Total addressable market, as per our estimate, is around 1 billion square feet as of now.

TRAI has recently issued guidelines for assessing the quality of connectivity inside and around buildings. These guidelines are expected to encourage real estate developers to provide access to the best connectivity options at their projects. According to Mahesh Choudhary, real estate developers mostly in commercial projects from Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Ahmedabad and a few other top metro cities have shown high interest in getting ratings of their projects.

How Will This Work?

Digital Connectivity Rating Agency, like Shaurrya Teleservices and others, will assess properties across India on critical parameters of digital connectivity, including fibre readiness, indoor mobile coverage, broadband quality and IOT integrations. Properties will be assigned a star rating based on actual performance in line with TRAI’s standardised methodology released in August 2025.

TRAI has issued the Manual for Rating of Properties for Digital Connectivity in August this year. TRAI called it the country’s first standardised framework to evaluate how effectively buildings are equipped for high-speed, reliable digital access. With more than 80 per cent of mobile data consumed indoors, and high frequency band signals of AG (Automatic Gain Control) and SQ (Square Wave signal) often weakened by modern-day building materials, robust in-building networks have become essential for work, education, healthcare and daily digital services. Weak indoor connectivity directly affects consumer experience and overall quality of service.

TRAI’s Rating of Properties for Digital Connectivity Regulations, 2024, a new manual, sets a standardised way for rating how well buildings are digitally connected. It gives guidance to rating agencies to assess properties, and helps property managers and service providers build and maintain a strong digital infrastructure. The criteria include fibre readiness, indoor mobile signal strength, Wi‑Fi coverage, broadband speed, and how users actually experience these services. The goal is to help people — whether buyers, renters, or businesses — understand connectivity quality before choosing a place, while also pushing developers to build with modern digital needs in mind.

‘TRAI believes that in the 21st century, digital connectivity is not a luxury-it is essential infrastructure, just like electricity or water. Today, it powers growth, innovation, and opportunity. This framework is a decisive step towards making every building in India ready for the Digital India vision, enabling more citizens to participate fully in our connected economy and laying the foundation for inclusive national growth,” said Shri Anil Kumar Lahoti, Chairman, TRAI.

Over the last decade, the country has undergone a rapid digital transformation, reshaping how citizens work, learn, access healthcare, and engage with public services. Reliable digital infrastructure now underpins economic growth, innovation and social welfare. With most data usage occurring indoors, ensuring robust in-building digital connectivity has become critical.

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