Never Lose Signal: Jio, Airtel, BSNL, Vi Offer Intra Circle Roaming

DoT Come Up With Intra Circle Roaming Facility For All Telecom giants Jio, Airtel, Vi & BSNL

The ICR facility is DoT’s initiative to step forward and bridge digital dive in India, ensuring reliable and smooth connectivity for millions of users. It highlights the collaborative efforts of major telecom providers to make connectivity more inclusive and accessible. This Intra Circle Roaming facility aims to enhance telecom connectivity nationwide.

This innovative initiative allows Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) like Reliance, Jio, Airtel & BSNL to share infrastructure at government-funded mobile towers, ensuring interrupted 4G access to users even in remote areas. This guide gives you more in-depth about the ICR facility, how it works for the users, their facilities, and more.

What is Intra Circle Roaming (ICR)?

The Intra Circle Roaming (ICR) facility allows users to connect to other networks when their own telecom provider’s cellular network or tower is unavailable when they visit somewhere or face issues in the area they used to live. For instance if a Jio or any telecom user facing weak signals, they can switch seamlessly to a nearby Airtel or BSNL tower funded by the government.

This significant initiative supported the Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), formerly the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF). USOF was established under the Telecommunications ACT of 2023 to enhance the telecom infrastructure across the nation.

The Union Minister of Scindia highlights the importance of this collaboration by saying, “This crucial step from our top three Telecom Service Providers – BSNL, Airtel & Reliance Jio” working together to share their infrastructure at all DBN-funded sites. With approx 27,836 such sites we’re ensuring connectivity while giving customers across the country the freedom to choose.

Benefits of Intra Circle Roaming (ICR)

Smooth & Seamless Connectivity : The ICR facility allows users to stay connected even in rural or remote areas. It doesn’t matter if your current telecom provider’s network is available or not, the cross-network will be able to provide enough network connectivity to users to make calls, browse the internet, and much more.

Improved Reach : Approximately 35,400 Villages and 27000 DBN-funded towers will benefit from this initiative and reportedly bring 4G services to underserved regions.

Reduce Infrastructure needs : Sharing towers will reduce the need for new installations, making the system more efficient and eco-friendly.

With this significant initiative, the Department of Telecommunications has also launched a Sanchar Saathi App in India, which will be available on both iOS & Android smartphones. This app is said to provide users with an important tool to secure their telecom resources and combat telecom fraud. It introduced the National Broadband Mission 2.0 vision document as well, its primary objective to connect 1.7 lakh villages across the country. so let’s dive deeper and know what is Sanchaar Saathi App and what benefits are provided by it.

Sachaar Saathi App: Authorize Telecom Users

Sanchar Saathi Mobile App is a user-friendly platform designed to improve telecom security and empower users. During the launch of this app, Scindia highlighted that this initiative offers opportunities while ensuring a safe environment for everyone. This app includes significant features which are given below:

Key Features of Sanchar Saathi App

Chakshu: Reporting Suspicious Fraud Communications. Users can report fake calls and messages directly from their phone log.

Know Mobile Connections in Your Name: Citizens can identify or able to manage all mobile connections issued in their name, to ensure that no authorized usage of their connections.

Blocking Your Lost/Stolen Mobile Handset: Through this app, you can easily trace, block, and recover your lost & stolen mobile handset.

Know Mobile Handset Genuineness: This app allows an easy way to identify the authenticity of mobile handsets, ensuring users purchase genuine devices.

With over 90 crore smartphone users in India, the Sanchar Saathi App aims to ensure everyone can access these important services within just a few simple taps on their smartphones.

National Broadband Mission 2.0: Promoting Digital Inclusion

The Union Minister launched the National Broadband Mission (NBM) 2.0 by unveiling its vision document. The Union Minister Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia highlighted that the NBM 2.0 builds on the success of NBM 1.0, and under 8 lakh towers will be established. He remarked that broadband subscriptions have risen from 66 crores to 94 crores. This growth forms the core, the foundation, and the driving force behind the launch of NBM 2.0.

The Union Minister highlighted India’s leadership in digital and telecom sectors with 531 million Indians using electronic banking. UPI backed up by a strong telecom network, previously noted that 172 billion of transactions worth nearly Rs.247 lakh crore were held. This growth is linked to the strength of the telecom network, which led to the launch of the National Broadband Mission (NBM).

He also explained that the NBM 2.0 aims to connect 1.7 lakh remaining villages and to reach milestones. The goal is for 60% of rural households people to have broadband connection access to achieve a minimum broadband speed of 100Mbps, building strong digital infrastructure in rural India.

Key Objectives of NBM 2.0

• Extending Optical Fiber Connectivity to 2.70 lakh villages up to 2030.
• Improve Broadband Download Speeds from 63.5 Mbps up to a minimum of 100 Mbps by 2030.
• Providing Broadband access to 90% of the schools, colleges, healthcare institutions, and panchayat offices.
• For Ease Of Doing Business: Reduces the right way of application average disposal time from 60 days to 30 days by 2030.
• Increasing rural internet subscribers from 45 to 60 per 100 population by 2030.
• Aims of powering 30% of mobile towers with sustainable energy by 2030.
• To facilitate the rollout of the 5G network across the country and prepare infrastructure for 6G networks.
• Leveraging Power Sector Assets Such as Optical Ground Wire for enhanced broadband connectivity.