TRAI Amends Digital Connectivity Rating Regulations 2026

18 May 2026 CW Team

Key amendments expand the rating scale by introducing additional half-star levels, increasing the scale from five to nine levels to enable finer differentiation and clearer visibility of incremental improvements in digital connectivity infrastructure and service performance. The framework now allows under-construction properties to obtain staged evaluations, including a Designed For certificate at design stage, an Installation Completed For certificate after In-Building Solutions (IBS) installation and a Final rating once services become operational. DCRAs are required to evaluate design documents, implementation and operational service status during the phased assessment.

An optional Digital Connectivity Audit has been introduced to allow property managers of existing properties to obtain a sub-criteria assessment of current infrastructure and identify areas for improvement without entering the formal rating process. The Code of Conduct for DCRAs has been strengthened to preserve independence and transparency and to prevent conflicts where a DCRA provides digital connectivity infrastructure and also seeks to assess the same property. References to the National Building Construction Standards, 2026 published by the Bureau of Indian Standards have replaced earlier references to the National Building Code.

The regulations apply to property managers seeking rating or audit, Digital Connectivity Rating Agencies, In-Building Solutions (IBS) providers and service providers integrating networks with property infrastructure. The amendments aim to improve clarity, implementation, accountability and wider stakeholder participation while preserving the core principles of the Digital Connectivity Rating framework. The changes were placed on TRAI's website and shall come into force with effect from 13 May 2026.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) released the Rating of Properties for Digital Connectivity (Amendment) Regulations, 2026, on 13 May 2026 and published the revised Rating Manual. TRAI had earlier sought stakeholder inputs through a consultation paper on 27 February 2026 to refine the 2024 regulations based on implementation experience. The authority received feedback from property managers, Digital Connectivity Rating Agencies (DCRAs), service providers and other stakeholders on differentiation of rating levels, assessment of under-construction properties and categorisation of property types. Key amendments expand the rating scale by introducing additional half-star levels, increasing the scale from five to nine levels to enable finer differentiation and clearer visibility of incremental improvements in digital connectivity infrastructure and service performance. The framework now allows under-construction properties to obtain staged evaluations, including a Designed For certificate at design stage, an Installation Completed For certificate after In-Building Solutions (IBS) installation and a Final rating once services become operational. DCRAs are required to evaluate design documents, implementation and operational service status during the phased assessment. An optional Digital Connectivity Audit has been introduced to allow property managers of existing properties to obtain a sub-criteria assessment of current infrastructure and identify areas for improvement without entering the formal rating process. The Code of Conduct for DCRAs has been strengthened to preserve independence and transparency and to prevent conflicts where a DCRA provides digital connectivity infrastructure and also seeks to assess the same property. References to the National Building Construction Standards, 2026 published by the Bureau of Indian Standards have replaced earlier references to the National Building Code. The regulations apply to property managers seeking rating or audit, Digital Connectivity Rating Agencies, In-Building Solutions (IBS) providers and service providers integrating networks with property infrastructure. The amendments aim to improve clarity, implementation, accountability and wider stakeholder participation while preserving the core principles of the Digital Connectivity Rating framework. The changes were placed on TRAI's website and shall come into force with effect from 13 May 2026.

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