In an interview, Konark Trivedi, Founder and Managing Director of Frog Cellsat, spoke with TimesTech about the company’s mission to revolutionize indoor telecom connectivity with indigenous solutions like OneDAS. Highlighting their global ambitions, Konark detailed their innovation-driven approach, 5G-readiness, and commitment to Make in India, while outlining strategic steps that have shaped their journey from inception to IPO and into the global telecom equipment landscape.
Read the full interview here:
TimesTech: Indoor connectivity has emerged as a key challenge in India’s telecom infrastructure. Can you elaborate on how Frog Cellsat’s indigenous solutions, like OneDAS, are addressing this issue and what impact they’re having on the ground?
Konark: Indoor connectivity has been a serious bottleneck in the telecom ecosystem within India, especially in some of the high-footfall locations like airports, hospitals, and commercial buildings. It is with this objective that Frog Cellsat has developed the indigenous OneDAS solution. OneDAS is a multi-operator, multi-band active Distributed Antenna System that provides seamless mobile coverage indoors.
Lucknow Airport is one of the showpieces of the deployment made with this solution is able to provide uninterrupted Mobile connectivity across all passenger areas of the airport. Post-installation, we have reached more than 100 Mbps of peak-hour data speeds, which is a huge scenario change for the users. It is very satisfying to note that OneDAS is designed and manufactured entirely in India, proving that local innovation can address local problems to global standards. The same solution will also be deployed at the Guwahati, Mumbai and Navi Mumbai International airport.
TimesTech: With telecom now playing a strategic role in national security and self-reliance, how do you see the importance of indigenous equipment manufacturers like Frog Cellsat evolving under the NSDT framework?
Konark: The NSDT framework is going to be a game-changer for the Indian telecom industry; it protects the national interest while creating a huge incentive to build local capabilities. Frog Cellsat, as an indigenous manufacturer, aligning completely with the concept of self-reliance and trusted infrastructure – Make in India.
Frog Cellsat has been proactive in ensuring that all its products comply with global quality and security standards showcasing company’s capability to provide advanced, scalable solutions for national needs. Furthermore, the company has enhanced its own operations but has maintained full alignment with PLI’s guidelines. Thus, everybody involved in this great push is towards becoming a net exporter of trusted telecom gear from India.
TimesTech: You’ve mentioned ambitions to expand globally across regions like the Middle East, Europe, South America, and the US. What makes Frog Cellsat’s product offerings globally competitive, and how are you preparing to meet international standards and demand?
Konark: Indeed, we view going global as the next part of our growth journey. What gives us a competitive edge is that we provide RF solutions that are cost-effective, high-performance, scalable, and compatible with 4G and 5G networks. Our OneDAS and digital repeaters are already supporting eight frequency bands and multi-operator configurations. This kind of versatility is most appreciated across international markets.
To support our global push, we have already established GORF Limited in the UK. Besides, all products would also comply with international standards such as 3GPP, ETSI, and local telecom regulations. So when we go to new markets, we are not just going. We are ready to be the best.
TimesTech: Having successfully steered Frog Cellsat from inception to a publicly listed company, what are the biggest strategic decisions that shaped this journey, and what’s your roadmap for the next phase of growth?
Konark: The journey from inception to IPO has been full of learnings. One of the key strategic choices was staying sharply focused on R&D and innovation rather than simply replicating existing solutions. It helped us build differentiated products and carve out a niche in a highly competitive market.
Another major decision was to bet on domestic talent and manufacturing at a time when many were still dependent on imports. It is an advancement that one takes to publicly be able to scale with transparency and accountability. Future investments include next-gen products such as ONUs and interference mitigation systems. The company aims to create a revenue milestone of INR 500 crore in the next couple of years while expanding its footprint and product depth across the globe.
TimesTech: The idea of India becoming a global telecom equipment hub is gaining traction. In your view, what are the biggest opportunities and challenges in positioning ‘Made in India’ RF solutions for export markets?
Konark: Indian is actively and aggressively moving ahead on this momentum for “Made in India,” and we believe it isn’t only aspirational- it is possible. The biggest opportunity lies in enjoying cost-competitive innovation. We can produce high-quality products at levels far lower than many of those available from most global players. Such a strong proposition will help emerging markets.
Problems do still exist, like global certifications, complicated logistics, and building a brand globally. All of this has been done through designing products which meet the global standards and also getting international subsidiaries for local help. But yes, it requires a lot of consistent execution as well as patron success stories to build brand equity overseas, which we are definitely working towards.
TimesTech: What key innovations or technologies is Frog Cellsat currently investing in to stay ahead in the rapidly evolving telecom landscape, especially with the growing focus on 5G and future-ready infrastructure?
Konark: Everything we do hinges on innovation; at this moment, much of our energy is being invested in 5G-ready infrastructure. Just recently, we introduced our 5G Active DAS solution, which is aimed at large venues and supports multiple operators with multiple frequency bands. It is modular, scalable, and engineered for high-capacity environments.
We are investing in technologies such as the Smart Mini Booster, aimed at residential and enterprise applications, and the VHF Repeater for mission-critical applications. Another breakthrough is our Noise Shield solution, which eliminates uplink interference real headache in dense telecom environments-improving voice and data quality. Such products are not mere upgrades but jumps in capability conceived to future-proof networks.
