Quick Build-up of Telecommunications Base Stations in New Estates

Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for Communications and Information (a) why is there a time lag for the telecommunications service providers to set up base stations in newly-built housing estates; (b) how long does it take for a telco base station to be built and to be operational; and (c) how will the Ministry ensure that the telcos keep pace with the construction schedules of new housing estates.

Today, mobile operators install base stations at rooftops of buildings or tall structures, such as lamp posts, to provide outdoor mobile coverage. Generally, the signals from these base stations also penetrate buildings in the vicinity to provide in-building mobile coverage to homes and offices. However, some end-users may experience weak mobile signals within buildings for various reasons. For example, there could be "blind spots" due to the building design, or obstructions caused by other structures outside the buildings. Furthermore, with buildings being built taller and closer to each other, it has become more challenging for outdoor base stations to provide in-building coverage, especially to the higher floors.

The design and coverage of each mobile operator's network depends on their business decisions. They will have to factor in various considerations, including compliance with regulatory requirements. For example, IDA has required nation-wide service coverage on mobile operators and specified a set of minimum Quality of Service (QoS) standards as part of their licence conditions. Mobile operators are required to design and deploy their networks to meet these requirements, but as part of their competitive strategies, operators may do more to enhance their network to provide better service quality to their customers.

With changes in technology, our urban landscape, as well as mobile users' usage profile, mobile operators will need to actively monitor these developments and adjust their networks dynamically over time. When mobile operators become aware of weak in-building coverage, either through feedback from end users or their own monitoring, they will need to enhance service coverage by providing dedicated in-building solutions or planting more outdoor base stations. In order to install base stations or provide in-building solutions, mobile operators have to work with the relevant building or land owners to negotiate the relevant commercial terms before installation work can

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commence. As such, the time required for these installations may vary and I understand that this could be between three and 12 months.

My Ministry and the IDA recognise the growing reliance on mobile communications for personal and work uses. Hence, IDA has taken several measures to ensure that mobile telephone operators are able to provide the necessary coverage for users.

Firstly, IDA revised the quality of service framework for 3G mobile coverage. In the revision, the standard for outdoor coverage was enhanced since 1 April 2012, and a new standard for in-building or indoor coverage is introduced to ensure coverage of more than 85% within each building from 1 April 2013.

Secondly, IDA has conducted public consultations on proposed amendments to the Code of Practice for Info-communication Facilities in Buildings (or COPIF), which may require building owners or developers to provide space and access to mobile operators, to facilitate the provision of mobile coverage within building developments. The revised COPIF is expected to be issued soon.

Thirdly, in the case of HDB buildings, IDA has been working with relevant agencies to streamline the processes in order to shorten the timeframe for mobile operators to conduct their site surveys and install their base stations. Given that different areas or buildings have their own unique requirements for mobile coverage, IDA does not stipulate the technical solution that each mobile operator should deploy. Instead, IDA requires the operators to meet the broader objective of providing adequate mobile coverage in compliance with IDA's regulatory framework.

MCI and IDA will continue our efforts to enable timely mobile coverage of buildings and minimise any inconvenience to residents.