Policy formulation for telecom towers (cell sites)

for Chandigarh Administration

Association of Unified Telecom Service Providers of India

2

Overview of Telecom Services in Chandigarh (Punjab Telecom Circle)

• No. of licensed Operators: 8 (7 operators have launched services

and 1 operator is to launch in Q4/2004).

• Technology used: CDMA (4 operators) & GSM (4 operators) – both

are world-class digital technologies for cellular mobile telephone

service.

• Date of launch of services: 1997 onwards

• Subscriber Base (as on 31st August 2004)

– Punjab: 30.60 lakhs

– Chandigarh: ~ 6.12 lakhs

3

Overview contd…

Allocation of Wireless Spectrum by Govt. of India:

• Spectrum (frequency) is a limited finite resource allocated for

different wireless applications to different users.

• Telecom services is one of these such applications.

• Present allocations by GoI for telecom services:

– CDMA: 800 MHz band

– GSM: 900 & 1800 MHz band

• Efficient utilisation of existing allocations calls for increase in cell sites

since there is a spectrum constraint.

4

Cellular Architecture

• Cellular architecture by its very nature calls for a contiguous

arrangement where signals are transmitted from one site to another

like a chain – handoff of signals from one site to the next contiguous

site while the subscriber moves.

• No voids (blank pockets) can exist as it will result in call disruption or

calls will drop due to poor / no signal in the handsets.

• Cell radius – typically 350 m.

• As the number of users increase and their need for mobile

communications results in higher traffic, which calls for increase in

no. of cell sites.

5

Typical Cellular Network – an illustration

Initial Stages (1-2 years) Later (3-5 years onwards)

Less number of subscribers.

Less traffic generated by few subscribers.

Cell radius comparatively large.

Cell site density less.

Subscribers increase rapidly (4-10 times or more).

Traffic generated increases substantially.

Cell radius reduces in size.

Cell site density increases.

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Concerns expressed by Authorities

• Height of the towers & aesthetics - to blend with the surroundings

• Structural safety of towers

• Health hazards

• Pollution control – air (smoke) and noise

• Flying / aviation hazards

• Residential Areas

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Height & Aesthetics

Issue:

• Height (25-30 m from ground level) is necessary for clear line of

sight for radio waves (signals) to have effective coverage.

Industry viewpoint:

• Cell-sites to be erected in back lanes (not visible from main roads).

• Existing architecture (civil constructions eg. water tanks) to be used.

• Micro-cells to be used on street lights, poles, etc.

• Building rooftops to have pole mounted antennae / rooftop towers

(lesser height) to blend with building exteriors.

• Environment friendly architecture on roundabouts can be

constructed on which antennae can be mounted.

• Camouflaging with appropriate colours to blend with surroundings.

8

Structural Safety

Issue:

• Structural stability and safety aspects.

Industry Viewpoint:

• There is no compromise on structural safety.

• Industry meets stringent structural safety standards.

• Industry already complying by submitting structural certificates from

qualified engineers when site approval is sought.

9

Health Hazards

Issue:

• Probable impact on health, heart or on brain of location of towers in

residential areas.

Industry Viewpoint:

• No evidence has been collected internationally to prove that

emissions are harmful to human life.

• WHO has done extensive research which can be examined on their

website to exhibit level that radio waves are not health hazardous.

10

Pollution Control

Issue:

• Air and noise pollution effects on environment.

Industry Viewpoint:

• DG sets used by operators are complying with noise and emission

levels as prescribed by CPCB.

11

Flying / Aviation Hazards

Issue:

• Cell sites may cause obstruction in flight path near the airport.

Industry Viewpoint:

• SACFA (GoI Committee) which has membership of IAF and AAI

approve each and every cell site location in the country.

• SACFA coordinates with field units (airports, IAF bases) before

granting approvals to verify these concerns.

• No approvals given by IAF & AAI for such cell sites which obstruct

flight path, therefore approved sites cause no obstruction.

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Residential Areas

Issue:

• Requirement of cell sites in residential areas.

Industry Viewpoint:

• No cell sites in residential area would create pockets where there is

no service.

• Cell sites required for commercial services.

• Health, Structural safety and pollution issues - Already being

complied with for commercial and institutional areas – not different

for residential areas in any manner.

• Present ban must be revisited to remove these deficiencies.

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Residential Areas (contd…)

Why should this be allowed?

• RF planning in network design mandates cell sites within residential

areas to maintain contiguous nature of cell sites – any void / blank

pockets would lead to disruption.

• No cell sites would mean poor Quality of Service – call drops, voice

breakages, no signal for in-building coverage.

• Situation leads to a violation of license conditions which mandate 90%

in-building coverage to measure rollout obligations.

• VVIP residential area - Ministers / Politicians, Bureaucrats, business

community - the hub of decision-makers cannot use their mobile

phones. High degree of complaints on service providers for no service.

14

Sharing Infrastructure

• Operators on an average share 15% of their total sites with each

other.

• All operators continuously explore possibilities of sharing of cell

sites.

Why all cell sites cannot be shared?

• RF Planning varies between operator to operator - location, height

and distance of cell sites is variant between each operator – is

dependent on subscriber base and traffic in the network.

• Radio interference problems leading to poor QoS / no service.

• Structural safety norms allow only two operators to share a single

site.

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Conclusion

Industry Expectations:

• Simple, transparent and easy to implement procedure for installation

of cell sites and consequent growth of mobile services.

• Quick and time bound approvals so that network expansion is not

hindered.

• Cell site installations in Residential areas to be allowed.