Synopsis Telecom tower companies have approached DoT for vaccination of their field teams on a priority basis, akin to frontline healthcare staff, so that they can go about their operations & maintenance work in an unhindered fashion in states seeing a surge in Covid cases. Getty Images Phone companies have sought the urgent intervention of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to ensure their essential field staff get the status of frontline healthcare workers to operate freely and be exempt from any curfew-like restrictions amid the surge in Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra and the prospect of fresh lockdowns. They have warned that without such exemptions, telecom services field engineers won’t be able to access critical sites nor do repairs and maintenance work in Covid zones, which could cause a breakdown in mobile and internet connectivity in Maharashtra.