NEW DELHI: The government is finally initiating steps to address the issue of poor mobile connectivity and slow internet connections in residential areas and public places.Resident welfare associations (RWAs) across the country may not be able to strike exclusive deals with only a single telecom operator or an internet service provider and will need to mandatorily allow sharing and passage of communication infrastructure with other telecom players in order to give choice and better quality of services to consumers, the government’s top telecom panel said on Thursday.The inter-ministerial Digital Communications Commission (DCC) also said that in public places such as railway stations, airports, bus terminals and government buildings, telecom infrastructure cannot be the exclusive domain of a single network provider, and needs to be shared by others.“We are saying that telecom service providers in public places may be encouraged to share in-building infrastructure that is already laid. If anybody has laid optic fiber cable, they can share it with others. This should be encouraged… They can have their own commercial arrangements,” telecom secretary Anshu Prakash, who is also the chairman of the DCC, said.The move relating to residential apartments will strike at an often-seen practice of RWAs to only allow operators of their choice, and thus thwart the entry of newer players.The existing practice has been restricting the choice of residents in getting access to multiple service providers in case of deficient services.Concerned over the constantly-deteriorating quality of consumer telecom services, the DCC decided that not only does coverage of services need to be enhanced, but consumers also need to be given more choice. “We have been receiving lots of demand for this. Even regulator Trai has made recommendations. Residents have been asking why should they be forced to take internet from operator A, and not from operator B.”“We have now decided to request the ministry of housing and urban affairs to issue suitable guidelines to RWAs in this regard in order to provide access to all telecom service providers on a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory manner,” the DCC chairman said.Prakash said while the DCC had given a go-ahead in the matter, the guidelines for mandating it will need to come from the housing and urban affairs ministry. “Today when you have a building, it cannot be given a completion certificate without electricity, water or proper sanitation. (Similarly) communications is now a basic necessity. So, whether we have proper ducting for internet or other services… also becomes relevant.”The new rules, when mandated, would be applicable to both existing residential colonies, as well as the new ones that are under construction. “For older buildings, there may be some existing contracts. So, I am sure it will be a transition that will happen over a period of time. It can’t happen at the stroke of a pen.”The DCC chairman also said changes and amendments may need to be made to the unified building bylaws to implement the decision. Residents, he said, need to be given “choice and flexibility” to go for an operator of their liking in order to realise the best quality in services, as well as tariffs.Asked if the DCC is also recommending a penalty for those who refuse to abide by the new rules, he said that this decision will need to be taken by ministry of housing and urban affairs.The government has often expressed concern over the fall in quality and coverage of telecom services across the country, and even Prime Minister Narendra Modi has flagged this as a pressing issue. Telecom and IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had said after taking charge in the new government that improving consumer services was one a key focus area for his ministry.