The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) on Friday asked telecom companies to use green certified products and aim 17 per cent carbon emission reduction from their telecom networks by 2018-19.
The telecom regulator issued highlights of its recommendation on 'Approach Towards Green Telecommunications'.
It has recommended that "service providers should aim at carbon emission reduction targets for the mobile network at 5 per cent by the year 2012-2013, 8 per cent by the year 2014- 2015, 12 per cent by the year 2016-2017 and 17 per cent by the year 2018-2019."
"The base year for all these reduction will be 2011," a Trai official said.
As per these recommendations, at least 50 per cent of all rural towers and 20 per cent of the urban towers are to be powered by hybrid power by 2015 and further 75 per cent of rural towers, 33 per cent of urban towers are to be powered by hybrid power by 2020.
The recommendations state that all telecom products, equipment and services in the telecom network should be certified 'Green Passport [GP]' by 2015.
"Telecommunication Engineering Centre will certify telecom products, equipments and services on the basis of ECR ratings," Trai's statement said.
Under these recommendations, all service providers should declare to Trai carbon footprint of their network operations twice in a year.
Trai has asked service providers to adopt a voluntary code of practice encompassing energy efficient Network Planning, infra-sharing, deployment of energy efficient technologies and adoption of Renewable Energy Technology to reduce carbon footprints.
The recommendation also state that service providers should evolve a 'Carbon Credit Policy' in line with carbon credit norms.