DCIP Registration: Digital Connectivity Infrastructure Provider Authorisation
DCIP registration is the DoT authorisation that lets a company build and share passive and specified active digital infrastructure: wireline access, radio access networks, Wi-Fi and in-building systems. It was created by the Telecommunications (Authorisation for Telecommunication Network) Rules, 2026, notified on 20 July 2026. We prepare the application and file it on the DoT portal.
What it is
A Digital Connectivity Infrastructure Provider, or DCIP, builds and shares the physical and active layers that carriers need to reach customers. Think of an in-building system in a mall, a Wi-Fi network across a campus, or a radio access network that several operators share. The DCIP owns and runs that layer. It does not sell telecom services to the public.
Strictly, the law calls it an authorisation, not a registration. It comes under the Telecommunications Act, 2023, and the Telecommunications (Authorisation for Telecommunication Network) Rules, 2026, notified on 20 July 2026. Applications go through DoT’s central government portal.
Who it applies to
Neutral-host and in-building companies
Say you wire a mall in Gurugram so that three operators can share one in-building system. The active parts of that system need a DCIP authorisation.
Wi-Fi and small-network builders
Companies that deploy wireless LANs or radio access networks for others to use, without selling telecom services themselves.
Existing tower and fibre companies
An Infrastructure Provider that wants to add radio, Wi-Fi or complete in-building solutions to its passive assets. Those added elements fall outside the passive-only scope.
Why it matters
Legal cover for active equipment
Without a DCIP authorisation you cannot operate radio, Wi-Fi or active in-building elements for others. Telecom law treats unauthorised operation as an offence.
A long runway, light on recurring cost
The authorisation runs up to 20 years. The rules dispense with annual authorisation fees and initial guarantees for these network authorisations.
A defined place in the telecom chain
Carriers and enterprises can deal with you on paper. The scope is written down, so there is little room for argument about what you may deploy.
DCIP versus Infrastructure Provider
| Point | Infrastructure Provider (old IP-I) | DCIP |
|---|---|---|
| Layer | Passive: towers, ducts, dark fibre, right of way, IBS infrastructure | Passive plus specified active: wireline access, RAN, WLAN, complete IBS, transmission links |
| Processing fee | ₹10,000 | ₹10,000 |
| Entry fee | Nil | ₹10 lakh (confirm against Schedule A) |
| Initial guarantee | Nil | Nil |
| Validity | Up to 20 years | Up to 20 years |
If you only need towers and ducts, an Infrastructure Provider is cheaper. If your plan touches active equipment, you need the DCIP.
Documents required
About the company
- Certificate of incorporation, MOA and AOA with telecom infrastructure in the objects
- List of directors and shareholders, with FDI status
- PAN and GST registration
About your eligibility
- Auditor’s certificate on financial eligibility
- Declaration of no pending government dues
- Profiles and track record of promoters and management
About the project
- Description of the infrastructure you will deploy and the areas
- Network architecture and data location details
- Authorised signatory’s board resolution and ID proof
How it works
Check your eligibility and scope
We test your entity, ownership and plan against the DCIP limits. If the plan needs a core network or spectrum, you hear it on day one.
Prepare the application pack
We draft the application, assemble the documents, and coordinate the auditor’s certificate with your chartered accountant.
File on the DoT portal and pay the fees
We submit the application and the ₹10,000 processing fee, then follow up on queries raised by DoT.
Pay the entry fee and receive the authorisation
On approval you pay the entry fee, if it applies to you, and DoT issues the authorisation. We then set up your compliance calendar.
Timelines
Validity
Up to 20 years, with the exact term set in the grant.
Renewal
Apply 12 months before the authorisation expires.
Old applications
Telegraph Act applications not issued before 20 July 2026 are reported to have lapsed. File afresh under the new rules.
What happens if you operate without authorisation
Criminal exposure
Under the Telecommunications Act, 2023, providing telecom services without authorisation can draw imprisonment up to three years, a fine up to ₹2 crore, or both.
Breach of terms
Breaking the terms of your authorisation can attract a civil penalty of up to ₹5 crore through adjudication.
Unauthorised equipment
Possessing or using unauthorised equipment or networks can carry a penalty up to ₹10 lakh. Check each deployment against your scope.
Frequently asked questions
Is DCIP registration the same as IP-I registration?
No. The old IP-I registration, now called Infrastructure Provider, covers only passive assets such as towers, ducts, dark fibre and right of way. A DCIP can also deploy specified active elements: radio access network, wireless LAN, wireline access and complete in-building solutions. Because it does more, a DCIP carries an entry fee and an Infrastructure Provider does not. We help you pick the right one.
How much does DCIP registration cost?
Two published summaries put the processing fee at ₹10,000 and the entry fee at ₹10 lakh, with no initial guarantee and no annual authorisation fee. One other summary reports no entry fee, so we check Schedule A of the notified rules before quoting you. The exact figure is confirmed before you pay anything. Our professional fee is separate and quoted upfront.
How long is a DCIP authorisation valid?
Up to 20 years, and the exact term is fixed when the authorisation is granted. A renewal application is due 12 months before expiry. Most of the effort lies in getting the first application right. We keep the renewal date on our calendar for you.
Who can apply for DCIP registration?
An Indian company that meets the financial requirements, has no pending dues to the government, conforms to the foreign direct investment policy, and can show sound character through a track record in telecom services or networks. A new company without that history should lean on its promoters’ experience. We review your eligibility before filing anything.
What can a DCIP not do?
It cannot build a core network, lease circuits to other authorised entities or users, use its transmission links for its own captive traffic, or hold spectrum assigned to it. It may use a partner’s spectrum only for configuration. If your plan includes any of these, you need a different authorisation. We map your business model against these limits first.
Does the DCIP need to keep data in India?
Yes. Rule 25(3) of the network rules, as reported by practitioners, requires every system of the telecommunication network to sit inside India, along with its data, logs and information. This matters most for cloud-hosted or software-defined set-ups. Plan your hosting accordingly. We include data location in our pre-filing checklist.
I applied under the older Telegraph Act regime. What now?
Applications that were pending under the old regime and not issued before 20 July 2026 are reported to have lapsed, so you must apply again under the new rules. An already issued IP-I registration is carried forward as an Infrastructure Provider authorisation. We can check which of your papers can be reused.
Can an Infrastructure Provider upgrade to DCIP?
The rules do not allow a new authorised entity to hold overlapping authorisations of the same scope and area. So a company with towers and ducts that now wants radio or Wi-Fi equipment should not simply apply and hope. We look at how to structure the two before anything is filed.
Does Taxhint file the application for me?
Yes. We check eligibility, prepare the application and the supporting documents, coordinate the auditor’s certificate and net-worth papers with your chartered accountant, file on the DoT portal, reply to queries and handle post-grant compliance. Where a certificate needs a qualified professional’s signature, that professional signs it. You remain the applicant throughout.
What it costs
Our fee plus the government fee that applies to your case, quoted before you commit. Tell us the situation and we will price it exactly.
Government fees as reported for the 2026 rules: ₹10,000 processing fee and ₹10 lakh entry fee for a DCIP. There is no initial guarantee and no annual authorisation fee. We confirm the figures against Schedule A of the notified rules before you pay.
Ready to begin?
Tell us what you plan to build and where, and we will check it against the DCIP scope before we file.