Telecom tower, infra companies dial DoT to seek help in curbing rampant equipment theft

Telecom Towers

Telecom towers and infrastructure companies have dialled the telecom department to direct police authorities, law enforcement agencies and district administration to ensure the security of towers across all states.

They also urged the department to order authorities to take requisite action against miscreants involved in the equipment theft, which has impacted the 4G and 5G connectivity and led to loss financial loss.

In a letter to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), DIPA (Digital Infrastructure Providers Association) said that its members faced a loss of approximately Rs 125-150 crore in the last fiscal year due to rampant theft at telecom sites. The loss, it said, is increasing everyday.

“Miscreant elements are stealing Telecom operator’s electronic equipment, battery banks cells, from the tower sites….F.I.Rs are not being filed by police; hence we have to log the F.I.R over the online portal in many of the cases reported resulting in a dual loss. One, the equipment is stolen from the sites. Two, we are not able to claim the loss from insurance companies in the absence of an FIR in the police station,” DIPA’s director general Tilak Raj Dua said in a May 31 letter.

DIPA, the apex representative body of digital infrastructure providers in India, represents Indus Towers Limited, ATC India Ltd, Ascend Telecom, Summit Digital Infrastructure, Suyog Telematics, Crest Digital, Applied Solar Technologies, ibus Networks, CloudExTel, Pratap Technocrat, Space World and Signatox towers.

Dua said that a robust telecom infrastructure including 5G implementation is essential to enable ubiquitous connectivity and connect the unconnected.

“We request your urgent intervention into the matter to direct the police authorities/law enforcement agencies and district administration regarding ensuring the security of telecom towers in states and also take requisite action against the miscreants who are involved in the theft,” Dua said.

DIPA said that around 3000 Battery Bank, 450 DG and more than 1500 DG batteries were stolen in states like Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, Punjab, and Delhi.

There are more than 1000 incidents of power cable theft on telecom towers and 350 incidents are related to the AC/PP/Tower theft.

“Theft on telecom towers leads to a major impact on connectivity, as it is a time-consuming process to restore connectivity after theft…Despite numerous industry submissions, FIRs, and meetings with district authorities, the incidents are increasing. This is impeding the growth and expansion of robust telecom infrastructure in the states, thereby hindering programs such as 'Digital India', the 'National Broadband Mission', and 'Smart Cities’,” Dua said.