TRAI Building Digital Connectivity Rating: 2026 Rules

If you are buying or renting a flat and want to know how good the mobile signal and broadband will be inside it, look for the building's digital connectivity star rating. From 13 May 2026, TRAI has refreshed this rating system through the Rating of Properties for Digital Connectivity (Amendment) Regulations, 2026, numbered 3 of 2026. The update adds half-star levels for finer comparison and lets buildings that are still under construction earn a design-stage rating before they are finished.

This is a quick, plain guide to what the rating means, who awards it, what changed in 2026, and how you can use it before you sign a sale agreement or a lease.

• What it is: a star rating that scores how well a property supports mobile coverage and broadband inside the building, so buyers and tenants can compare buildings on network quality.
• Who rates: a registered Digital Connectivity Rating Agency, called a DCRA, working with the property manager who applies for the rating.
• The parent rule: the Rating of Properties for Digital Connectivity Regulations, 2024 (7 of 2024), notified on 25 October 2024, which created this voluntary rating framework.
• What is new in 2026: rules 3 of 2026, in force from 13 May 2026, add half-star rating levels and a phased rating for properties under construction.
• Is it compulsory: no. It is a rating framework that property managers and DCRAs apply, not a mandatory certification you must obtain to occupy a flat.

You do not need to be a technical person to use this. Work through it like a checklist when you are comparing two or three properties.

1. Ask the seller or builder directly. When you visit a project or a resale flat, ask the property manager or the builder whether the building has a digital connectivity rating, and ask to see the rating in writing.
2. Check which agency rated it. A genuine rating is awarded by a registered DCRA. Note the agency name and the date of the rating, because connectivity can change as new towers or fibre lines come up.
3. Read the star level, including half stars. After the 2026 amendment, ratings can sit between whole-star levels. A property at a half-star step above another is measurably better on the index, so the finer scale helps you separate two buildings that earlier looked the same.
4. For under-construction projects, ask for the design-stage rating. Under rules 3 of 2026, a DCRA can assess a design-stage Digital Connectivity Index based on the approved design documents and a declaration, before the building is complete. Treat this as a forward indicator, and ask whether a final rating will follow once the building is ready.
5. Match the rating to your own needs. If you work from home or depend on video calls, a building that scores well on in-building coverage and fibre readiness is worth paying attention to, even above a slightly cheaper option with a weaker rating.

If a builder claims a rating but cannot show you the DCRA report or the rating date, treat the claim with caution and keep your own notes. You can use a public authority RTI request to confirm civic or telecom infrastructure facts where a government body is involved. The AI RTI drafter can help you frame such a question cleanly.

The 2026 amendment does not replace the 2024 framework. It tunes it. Two changes matter most for an ordinary buyer or tenant.

The parent 2024 regulation rated properties in whole stars. Rules 3 of 2026 add half-star levels, giving finer gradations between the whole-star points. In practice this means two properties that both earned the same whole-star figure can now be told apart, because one may sit a half step higher. For you as a buyer, the scale simply carries more information, so a small difference in connectivity quality is no longer hidden.

Earlier, a meaningful rating realistically waited until a building was built and its connectivity could be measured. The 2026 amendment introduces a phased mechanism. A DCRA can evaluate a design-stage Digital Connectivity Index using the approved design documents and a declaration, so an under-construction property can carry an early rating that reflects how it is planned to perform. This helps you compare new launches, while reminding you that a design-stage figure is a promise on paper until the final rating confirms it.

The connectivity rating itself is a private, voluntary assessment between a property manager and a DCRA. But many surrounding facts, such as whether a local body cleared a telecom tower, or what a civic authority recorded about a project, sit with government departments, and those are open to you under the Right to Information Act.

If a public authority ignores or delays your RTI request, the first appeal builder helps you draft a proper first appeal, and the timeline tracker keeps your statutory deadlines in view. To understand your underlying rights, read the plain-language guide to the RTI Act 2005, and for a fuller walkthrough see The RTI Playbook.

A real example. Dr. Shrawan Kumar Pathak was comparing two ready flats in the same area. Both brochures claimed strong connectivity. He asked each property manager for the actual DCRA rating and date. One building had a current rating sitting a half step higher under the 2026 scale, and the other had only a verbal claim with no report. That single question made the difference clear before he paid any token amount.

It is a star rating that scores how well a property supports mobile coverage and broadband inside the building, including in-building coverage and fibre readiness. It lets prospective buyers and tenants compare buildings on network quality. It was created by the Rating of Properties for Digital Connectivity Regulations, 2024.

The Rating of Properties for Digital Connectivity (Amendment) Regulations, 2026 (3 of 2026), in force from 13 May 2026, add half-star rating levels for finer comparison and introduce a phased rating that lets a property under construction earn a design-stage rating before it is complete.

No. It is a voluntary rating framework. A property manager applies for it and a registered Digital Connectivity Rating Agency, or DCRA, carries it out. You do not need the rating to occupy a flat, but it is a useful comparison tool when you are choosing between properties.

A registered Digital Connectivity Rating Agency, known as a DCRA, awards the rating. The property manager is involved in applying for and supporting the assessment. Always ask for the agency name and the date of the rating, since connectivity can change over time.

Under rules 3 of 2026, a DCRA can assess a design-stage Digital Connectivity Index using the approved design documents and a declaration. This phased mechanism gives an early indication for under-construction properties. Treat it as a forward indicator and ask whether a final rating will follow on completion.

• TRAI Rating of Properties for Digital Connectivity (Amendment) Regulations, 2026 (3 of 2026), dated 13 May 2026.
• Parent regulation: Rating of Properties for Digital Connectivity Regulations, 2024 (7 of 2024), notified 25 October 2024.