Rating of Properties for Digital Connectivity (Amendment) Regulations, 2026

3459 GI/2026 (1) - 33004/99 REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99

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21 TELECOM REGULATORY AUTHORITY OF INDIA NOTIFICATION New Delhi, the 13th May, 2026

F. No. AU-4/2/2(2)/2024-QoS-Part(1) . In exercise of the powers conferred by section 36, read with sub- clauses (i) and (v) of clause (b), clause (c) and clause (d) of sub-section (1) of section 11, of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997 (24 of 1997), the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India hereby makes the following regulations further to amend the Rating of Properties for Digital Connectivity Regulations, 2024 (7 of 2024), namely:-

RATING OF PROPERTIES FOR DIGITAL CONNECTIVITY (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS, 2026 (3 of 2026)

1. Short title, extent and commencement. (1) These regulations may be called the Rating of Properties for Digital Connectivity (Amendment) Regulations, 2026. (2) They shall come into force from 13th May 2026.
2. In regulation 1 of the Rating of Properties for Digital Connectivity Regulations, 2024 (7 of 2024) (hereinafter referred to as the principal regulations ), for sub-regulation (2), the following sub-regulation shall be substituted, namely:-

3. In regulation 2 of the principal regulations, in sub-regulation (1), - (a) after clause (f), the following clause shall be inserted, namely:-

or means a telecommunication network which is used to extend and distribute the wired or wireless connectivity within a specific area, including large buildings, stadiums, airports, or campuses, but does not cross or pass under or over a public road; (fb) In- or means any entity authorised to establish, operate, maintain or expand IBS under section 3 of the Telecommunications Act, 2023 or licensed under ; (b) for clause (p), the following clause shall be substituted, namely:-

means any entity authorised under section 3 of the Telecommunications Act, 2023, or licensed under section 4 of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, to provide telecommunication service

4. In regulation 3 of the principal regulations, in sub-regulation (1), for the table, the following table shall be

22 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART III SEC.4] substituted, namely:- Sl. No. Classification Category Type of Property

1. Residential A Apartments, independent houses, gated communities or societies, etc.

2. Government Properties A All properties of the Central Government, the State Government, Courts, Public Sector Undertakings, Local Bodies, Heritage Sites, etc.

3. Commercial and other Establishments A Commercial office complex, shopping malls, industrial estates, SEZs, convention centres, Hospitals, Hotels, Educational Institutions, etc.

4. Other private or public areas B Airport, Bus Station, Railway Station, multi-modal logistic parks, etc.

5. Stadiums or Sport Arenas or spaces of frequent gathering B Stadiums or permanent spaces of gathering

6. Transport corridors B Expressways, Highways, Railways routes, Metro corridors, etc.

7. In regulation 9 of the principal regulations, - (a) for sub-regulation (1), the following sub-regulation shall be substituted, namely:- Every DCRA shall disclose the fee to be charged and other terms and conditions, if any, to the property manager and get their acceptance before commencement of any rating activity, or any optional digital connectivity audit activity, as the case may be ; (b) for sub-regulation (3), the following sub-regulation shall be substituted, namely:- DCRA shall offer suitable fee terms to the property manager, in a transparent manner, based on its obligations for the rating of the property, or for optional digital connectivity audit of the property, as the case may be

8. In regulation 10 of the principal regulations, - (a) for the existing heading, the following heading shall be substituted, namely:- Evaluation and award of ratings and digital connectivity audit (b) for sub-regulation (2), the following sub-regulation shall be substituted, namely:- No DCRA shall undertake evaluation and rating of any property which may result in potential conflict of interest with property owners or property manager, infrastructure providers, service providers, or IBS Providers, which may directly or indirectly affect the transparency of the rating ; (c) after sub-regulation (2), the following sub-regulations shall be inserted, namely:- Every DCRA shall, in respect of properties under construction, - a) evaluate the design stage DCI based on approved DCI design documents and declaration submitted by the property manager, and issue an evaluation report along with a

certificate for the proposed DCI design of the property; b) upon completion of construction and installation of IBS in the property, evaluate DCI

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23 implementation and issue an evaluation report along with an icate; and c) clause b) of this sub-regulation and after the digital connectivity services become operational. (4) The DCRA shall, where a property manager of a property whose construction has been completed opts for optional digital connectivity audit, - a) carry out digital connectivity audit based on the criteria and sub-criteria specified in these regulations; and b) prepare and share the audit report with the property manager, in the format specified by the Authority

7. In regulation 13 of the principal regulations, for sub-regulation (3), the following sub-regulation shall be substituted, namely:- The fees for rating of property, or for optional digital connectivity audit of property, as the case may be,

8. In regulation 14 of the principal regulations, - (a) for the existing heading, the following heading shall be substituted, namely:- Application for rating of property for digital connectivity or digital connectivity audit (b) after sub-regulation (1), the following provisos shall be inserted, namely:- Provided that an application for rating of properties under construction, shall be accompanied with approved design documents and other relevant details as may be specified by the Authority: Provided further that the property manager of any property whose construction has been completed may also apply for optional digital connectivity audit through the registered DCRAs without applying for

9. For regulation 20 of the principal regulations, the following regulation shall be substituted, namely:-

10. No exclusive arrangement with the service providers. (1) No property manager or IBS Provider shall enter into an exclusive arrangement or tie-up arrangement with any service provider for providing

11. In the principal regulations, in Section VI, for the existing heading, the following heading shall be substituted, namely:- GENERAL OBLIGATIONS OF SERVICE PROVIDERS AND IBS PROVIDERS

12. For regulation 23 of the principal regulations, the following regulation shall be substituted, namely:-

13. No exclusive arrangement with Property Manager or IBS Provider. (1) No service provider shall enter into an exclusive arrangement or tie-up arrangement with any property manager or IBS Provider to provide

14. In regulation 24 of the principal regulations, in sub-regulation (1), - (a) in the table, Sub-Criteria , in serial number (6 6.1 Backhaul fibre

24 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART III SEC.4] connectivity (service provider to property) 6.1 Backhaul fibre/ wireless connectivity (service shall be substituted; (b) Model Building Bye Laws (MBBL) a (c) in the table, under the column s, for ensuring robust (d) infrastructure, over and above MBBL or NBC requirements, for ensuring reliable digital con (e) for Note (ii), the following note shall be substituted, namely:- (ii) For the purposes of rating for digital connectivity, MBBL (Model Building Bye Laws) issued by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) shall be referred in cases where Building Byelaws of Cities/State or Union Territory do not have provisions for digital connectivity in 13. In regulation 25 of the principal regulations, in sub-regulation (1), in the table, Sub-Criteria , in serial number (4 4.1 Backhaul fibre connectivity (service provider to property) 4.1 shall be substituted. 14. In regulation 26 of the principal regulations, in sub-regulation (2), for the table, the following table shall be substituted, namely:- S. No. Score Range Digital Connectivity Rating to be awarded 1

=25-32 2 32-40 3 40-48 4 48-56 5 56-64 6 64-72 7 72-80 8 80-88 9 More than 88

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25 15. In Schedule-I of the principal regulations, - (a) for item (i), the following item shall be substituted, namely:- Impartiality and independence: DCRA shall remain impartial and independent during digital connectivity assessment and entire rating process. DCRA should not have any financial interest or ownership or operational interests in the property under evaluation and assessment. To ensure objectivity and neutrality, any DCRA in the business of providing DCI shall not undertake digital connectivity assessment of properties where another DCRA has provided DCI. DCRA shall establish policy and procedures for reviewing the work of its agents/employees to ensure independence of evaluation and assessment without external influences. ; (b) for item (vii), the following item shall be substituted, namely:- (vii) Clear fee structure: DCRAs shall establish a clear and transparent fee structure for different categories of properties as per regulations and declare Maximum Chargeable Fee (MCF) for rating of the property and for optional digital connectivity audit of the property. MCF should be commensurate with the scope of work, and not excessive. MCF should be based on the complexity and size of the property. The broad fee structure and criteria shall be displayed on the rating platform to all relevant stakeholders. (c) for item (xi), the following item shall be substituted, namely:- Conflict of interest: DCRA shall not rate a property that has a stake in the DCRA or its associated business. DCRA shall not undertake evaluation, assessment and rating of any property which may result in potential conflict of interest with property owners or property manager, infrastructure providers, service providers, or IBS Providers, which may directly or indirectly affect the transparency of the rating process including any commercial engagement other than that which is permissible under these regulations.

ATUL KUMAR CHAUDHARY, Secy. [ADVT.-III/4/Exty./87/2026-27]

Note 1. - The principal regulations were published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part III, Section 4 dated the 25th October 2024 vide notification number No. C-2/3/(2)/2021-QoS dated the 25th October 2024 (7 of 2024).

Note 2. - The Explanatory Memorandum explains the objects and reasons of the Rating of Properties for Digital Connectivity (Amendment) Regulations, 2026 (3 of 2026).

26 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART III SEC.4] Explanatory Memorandum

1. Background 1.1. Digital connectivity has become a fundamental enabler of modern socio-economic development. Over the past decade, rapid digitalisation has transformed the way individuals interact with governance, education, healthcare, commerce, financial services, and social platforms. As reliance on digital platforms continues to grow, seamless and reliable digital connectivity has become essential for ensuring inclusive growth, economic productivity, and improved quality of life. 1.2. With the widespread adoption of smartphones, cloud-based applications, high-definition video services, and emerging digital technologies, the demand for high-speed and reliable connectivity has increased significantly. A substantial proportion of digital data consumption now occurs within buildings such as residential complexes, offices, educational institutions, hospitals, commercial establishments and transportation terminals/interchanges, etc. However, modern building materials and architectural designs often attenuate wireless signals, especially in the case of higher frequency bands used in advanced mobile technologies such as 4G and 5G. Consequently, in-building digital connectivity has emerged as a key determinant of overall Quality of Service (QoS) experienced by users. 1.3. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997 (24 of 1997), inter alia, mandates the Authority under sub-clause (v) of clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 11 to lay down the standards of quality of service to be provided by service providers and to ensure the quality of service so as to protect the interests of consumers of telecommunication services. 1.4. In order to address issues related to in-building digital connectivity in a systematic manner, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issued its recommendations on th February 2023. The recommendations proposed the establishment of a structured framework through building bye laws, National Building Code, ecosystem capacity building for development of digital connectivity infrastructure as a part of building development, and, evaluating and rating properties based on their digital connectivity readiness and infrastructure provisioning. 1.5. Based on these recommendations, TRAI notified the on 25th October 2024 . The regulations introduced a structured framework for assessing and rating properties based on the availability and robustness of digital connectivity infrastructure. The framework aims to promote collaboration among Property Managers, Digital Connectivity Infrastructure Providers (DCIPs), Digital Connectivity Rating Agencies (DCRAs), service providers, and other stakeholders, while enabling transparency and informed decision- making for consumers. 1.6. To operationalise the provisions of the regulations, TRAI released the Draft Manual for Assessment of Digital Connectivity on 13th May 2025 for stakeholder consultation. After examining the comments received from stakeholders and incorporating suitable suggestions, the final Rating Manual for Assessment of Digital Connectivity was issued on 13th August 2025. The manual provides detailed operational procedures including roles and responsibilities of stakeholders, assessment methodologies, criteria and sub- criteria for rating, scoring mechanisms, and procedures for application, evaluation, certification, renewal, and appeals. 1.7. Subsequently, the Authority initiated the implementation phase of the Digital Connectivity Rating framework. Applications were invited for registration of Digital Connectivity Rating Agencies (DCRAs), and capacity building activities are undertaken for different stakeholders from time-to-time to familiarise them with the framework and its operational processes. Property Managers have also begun registering properties to seek their digital connectivity ratings. 1.8. During the course of implementation of the rating framework and interactions with stakeholders across the digital connectivity and real estate ecosystem, certain practical aspects relating to the implementation of the framework were brought to the attention of the Authority. These aspects included issues relating to the differentiation of star rating levels, applicability of the rating framework to properties under construction, categorisation of certain property types under the rating framework, and the need for enabling property managers to undertake digital connectivity assessment prior to applying for formal ratings. 1.9. In view of these inputs and based on its assessment of the early implementation experience of the framework, the Authority considered it appropriate to examine certain provisions of the Rating of Properties for Digital Connectivity Regulations, 2024 and the Rating Manual for Assessment of Digital Connectivity with a view to improving clarity, enhancing transparency, and facilitating smoother adoption of the framework by stakeholders.

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27 2. Notice Inviting Comments from Stakeholders on proposed amendments to the Rating of Properties for Digital Connectivity Regulations, 2024 and the Rating Manual. 2.1. In this context, TRAI issued a Consultation Paper on Review of Rating of Properties for Digital Connectivity Regulations, 2024 on 27th February 2026, seeking views of stakeholders on certain proposed amendments to the Rating of Properties for Digital Connectivity Regulations, 2024 and the Rating Manual for Assessment of Digital Connectivity. In addition to comments on the proposed amendments, stakeholders were also invited to submit their comments, feedback, or suggestions on any other provisions of the Regulations and Rating Manual. 2.2. The consultation paper examined the early implementation experience of the Digital Connectivity Rating framework and highlighted certain areas where additional clarity, refinement, or alignment with on-ground practices may be beneficial. In particular, the consultation paper sought stakeholder views on the following aspects: i. Review of Star Rating Levels under the rating framework ii. Rating of Properties under Construction iii. Categorisation of Property Types under the regulations; and iv. Optional Digital Connectivity Audit mechanism. 2.3. Stakeholders were invited to submit their comments on the consultation paper by 23rd March 2026. Keeping in view of the requests received from Industry Associations and Stakeholders for an extension of time for submission of inputs/ comments, the last date to submit comments was extended to 30th March 2026. 2.4. In response to the consultation paper, the Authority received comments from seventeen stakeholders which are available on TRAI website at https://trai.gov.in/consultation-paper-review-rating-properties-digital- connectivity-regulations-2024. 2.5. The comments received from stakeholders have been examined by the Authority. For ease of summarisation and analysis, the comments received from stakeholders have been grouped into two sections: i. Section-A: General comments which are not specific to the issues raised in the consultation paper ii. Section-B: Comments on proposed amendments in Regulations A. General Comments 3. General Inputs, Analysis and Conclusion 3.1. Support for the Digital Connectivity Rating Framework a) Inputs of Stakeholders i. Several stakeholders welcomed the initiative of the Authority to introduce and refine the Digital Connectivity Rating framework for properties, stating that the framework represents a forward- looking step towards improving in-building digital connectivity and infrastructure readiness across the country. ii. It was submitted that digital connectivity has become an essential utility comparable to electricity and water, and therefore assessing properties based on digital connectivity infrastructure and service performance would improve the overall consumer experience. iii. Stakeholders noted that the rating framework could enhance transparency in the real estate market by enabling prospective buyers and tenants to compare properties based on their digital connectivity readiness. iv. Some stakeholders also observed that higher-rated properties may attract greater consumer preference and potentially command higher value in the real estate market, thereby incentivising developers to integrate digital connectivity infrastructure during the design stage itself. v. A few stakeholders highlighted that the framework could support future-ready infrastructure development by encouraging the deployment of fibre networks, distributed antenna systems (DAS), small cells and other advanced digital connectivity solutions compatible with evolving technologies such as 5G and future communication standards. vi. It was also submitted that the rating framework could promote collaboration among property managers, telecom service providers, infrastructure providers and Digital Connectivity Rating Agencies (DCRAs), thereby creating an ecosystem for planning, design, deployment and evaluation of digital connectivity infrastructure within properties.