BSNL aiming at wider broadband connectivity: CMD

Aiming to widen its broadband map, the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited will be adding five million Port capacity to its existing network of one million with plans to extend the service from 600 cities to more than 1,000.

Apart from the broadband connectivity, the BSNL would also provide two crore mobile connections each in the next three years, BSNL chairman and managing director a K Sinha, who was here, told a press conference.

Sinha said of the five million broadband connections, 1.84 million would be provided in rural areas.

Pointing out the BSNL wanted to make broadband services more affordable, he said the downloading limits under home 250 and business 700 plans would be enhanced to one GB and four GB from 400 MB and two GB respectively from next year.

This would mean that a plan 250 customer would get a benefit of Rs 840 per month and the business 700 plan customer would benefit up to Rs 2,400 a month.

The broadband speed would be increased from 256 KBPS (Kilobits Per Second) to up to two MBPS (Megabits Per Second) at the existing tariff of Rs 250 per month, from next year, thus upgrading all its 8.2 lakh broadband users.

In addition, the free download limit will be enhanced from 0.4 gigabyte to 1 gigabyte and the rates for further downloads have been decreased from Rs 1.40 per megabyte to 90 paise.

Sinha said all the grama panchayats would have broadband coverage by 2008.

All secondary and higher secondary schools and public health centres would come under broadband coverage by the end of next year.

He also said the BSNL was in the process of launching broadband access through Wimx technology in about 1,000 block headquarters.

Apart from this, Sinha said the BSNL would start online gaming services over broadband very soon besides launching location based services in GSM segment.

In an attempt to connect the whole of India, digital satellite network would be made use of in villages where even wireless connectivity could not reach. About 14,000 villages would come under this plan.

Meanwhile the Kerala telecom circle on Saturday introduced Personalised Ring Back Tone (PRBT) facility for post-paid customers of the state on Saturday.

The Kerala circle also introduced missed call alert service by which a customer could get the information about incoming calls whenever the mobile is switched off.

Chief general manager of Kerala circle, S A Thomas, who would be retiring on Sunday from service, was also present.