Andhra Pradesh govt. offers support to telecom service providers to achieve 100% mobile connectivity

The Andhra Pradesh government has announced plans to support telecom service providers in achieving 100% mobile connectivity throughout the state. To make this goal possible, the administration will offer land, discounted power, and financial assistance for setting up mobile towers in rural and remote areas that currently lack reliable coverage.

This initiative is a response to numerous rural and remote habitations that remain outside the reach of mobile networks due to the low commercial viability of establishing telecom infrastructure in low-density regions. Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) have requested this assistance to expand their networks and offset the costs associated with land and power.

The government has agreed to provide the required support, which will be reviewed every three years to determine if it should continue in locations where subscriber numbers have grown and infrastructure has become commercially viable. Participating TSPs will be responsible for installing mobile towers and related infrastructure within specified timeframes.

The initiative also includes intra-circle roaming facilities to ensure seamless connectivity across telecom networks and efficient utilization of infrastructure, especially in areas where multiple standalone networks may not be commercially viable. BSNL, Airtel, Reliance Jio, and Vodafone Idea are among the operators involved in the implementation framework.

The government anticipates that this model will accelerate the expansion of mobile networks in uncovered villages and habitations, ultimately leading to a scalable pathway towards achieving 100% mobile connectivity across Andhra Pradesh.