20 Million broadband connections by the Year 2010

Shri Dayanidhi Maran, Minister of Communications & Information Technology has set a target of providing nine million broadband connections by this year end and 20 million connections by the end of 2010. This was stated by Shri Maran while addressing the Parliamentary Consultative Committee attached to his Ministry, here today. Dr. Shakeel Ahmad, Minister of State for Communications & Information Technology was also present.

Speaking on the agenda item "Initiatives on Broadband", Shri Maran stated that with the availability of new disruptive wireless broadband technology, such as Wi-MAX, it is expected to start adding more than a million broadband connection per month before the end of 2007. Wire line and wireless broadband to co-exist and expand together, New applications such as tele-aid medicines, IPTV, video conferencing, e-governance, e-commerce, etc., will be available to the citizens with broadband availability. Special emphasis will be for North-Eastern States and Jammu & Kashmir, Shri Maran added. He also informed the members that Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has declared Year 2007 as "Year of North East and Jammu Kashmir" with an objective to improve teleconnectivity in these states.

During the meeting, through a presentation on the initiatives on Broadband, it was explained to the members the targets to be achieved under the broadband initiatives, broad strategy and action plans prepared by the BSNL and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL). It is envisaged under the action plan, that broadband coverage of all secondary and higher secondary schools, public health care centers and Village Panchayats would be provided by the year 2008. Broadband connectivity to one lakes Community Service Centers (CSC) covering 20000 CSCs by ADSL by September 2007; 1000 blocks by wireless broadband by December 2007 and the remaining 5000 blocks by wireless broadband with USO support by June 2008 would be provided. BSNL, as part of their action plan, have envisaged to add an average of 5 lakh broadband connections per month from January 2008. 80 per cent of the exchanges would be broadband by the end of 2007 and roll out of IPTV in major cities. In addition to this, BSNL will aggressively roll out high speed broadband (like Wi-MAX) services and allow integration of multiple access technology like ADSL 2 +, VDSL 2, fibre-home, Wi-Fi, Wi-MAX, 3G, CorDECT, etc. The focus will be to provide multi-play instead of triple play. As a part of the strategy, MTNL has envisaged a target of providing one million broadband connections by the end of this year and addition of an average one lakh connections per month from January, 2008. It has also decided to strengthen its IPTV services which have been recently rolled out fully in Mumbai and in limited areas of Delhi.

Shri Maran informed the members about the recent amendment to the Indian Telegraph Act to provide support from USO fund for mobile and broadband services in remote/rural areas. He also informed the members about the relaxation of restrictions of providing mobile services within 10 kms. of international borders to 500 metres except along the Line of Control and Line of Actual Control in the areas of Akhnoor and Pathankot of J&K. With these decisions, Shri Maran hoped that mobile connectivity to the rural area and border areas will be improved significantly.

The Members deliberating on the agenda item, have unanimously commended the Minister’s efforts in expanding mobile connectivity as well as connecting more villages through Internet by broadband. However, they complained to the Minister about the poor mobile connectivity in the rural/remote areas. They stressed the need for improving the complaint redressal mechanism in the backward and rural areas and strengthening of network by putting more towers to resolve the congestion and connectivity problems.

Ms. Sushila Kerketta, Shri Vanlalzawma, Shri Munshi Ram, Shri Kishan Lal Diler, Shri Sita Ram Yadav, Dr. Laxminarayan Pandey, Shri M. Shivanna, Shri A.P. Abdullakutty and Shri Ramswaroop Prasad all from Lok Sabha and Prof. Ram Deo Bhandari from Rajya Sabha, attended today’s meeting.

Source : Press Information Bureau

Keywords