Telecom operators have pushed back against the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (Trai) proposed norms for 5G network slicing, stating that the regulator is seeking to regulate internal network parameters rather than the actual quality of service experienced by consumers.
Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea (Vi), in their responses to Trai’s consultation on amendments to quality-of-service regulations, have raised concerns over the proposed framework for managing network slices, saying it could constrain the development and commercialisation of differentiated 5G services.
Network slicing allows operators to create virtual networks over the same physical infrastructure, with different slices configured for specific requirements such as higher speeds, lower latency or greater reliability. The technology is expected to be important for monetising 5G beyond conventional mobile broadband.
Trai has proposed that operators take corrective action when a 5G cell records more than 80% physical resource block (PRB) utilisation during peak hours on five days in a month. If congestion continues for 30 days, the regulator has proposed that the operator disable priority slices on that cell until additional capacity is deployed.
The operators have questioned the use of PRB utilisation as the trigger for regulatory intervention. Jio has said that PRB utilisation is an internal network metric and does not necessarily indicate deterioration in the experience of customers using the network.
The company has therefore sought an outcome-based approach, under which intervention would be linked to measurable consumer-facing parameters rather than network engineering metrics.
Airtel has also said that any material deterioration in the experience of ordinary users should be reflected in parameters such as speed, latency or network availability. It has opposed the need for operators to face additional regulatory requirements based on network utilisation alone.
Vodafone Idea, meanwhile, has sought the removal of the proposed 80% threshold or its replacement with a technology-neutral framework focused on the actual quality of service delivered to users.
The operators have also raised concerns over Trai’s proposal requiring them to inform the regulator 21 days before launching a new 5G network slice and provide details demonstrating that sufficient network capacity is available.
For telcos, the concern is that such requirements could slow the launch of new services and potentially require disclosure of commercially sensitive information before a product is introduced.
The debate comes as operators are increasingly looking at ways to monetise their investments in 5G. While 5G adoption has expanded rapidly, operators have yet to fully translate the technology’s capabilities into differentiated revenue streams.
Network slicing is expected to enable operators to offer customised connectivity to enterprises and consumers, including services requiring guaranteed performance. Airtel has already begun using slicing for differentiated consumer offerings.
The consultation also assumes significance as Trai examines the broader implications of differentiated 5G services for net neutrality. The regulator’s challenge will be to ensure that premium or specialised services do not undermine the quality of the basic network, without making the regulatory framework so prescriptive that it limits innovation.