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Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd has proposed setting up a common wireless network for reaching broadband services in rural areas.
The public sector company has suggested that instead of multiple operators setting up a parallel network, a single network should be set up with support from the Universal Services Obligation funds.
BSNL's proposal comes at a time when the Department of Telecom is all set to launch a scheme to support operators for setting up broadband infrastructure through subsidy from the USO fund. Under this scheme, two operators will be selected in each circle through a bidding process.
“The cost of setting up parallel infrastructure by two operators in rural areas shall be wastage of national resources. It would be better that only one operator is allowed to roll out the network in rural areas and other operators may use the same network for providing services in these areas through the Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) model,” BSNL has told DoT.
BSNL's suggestion is similar to the National Optic Fibre Network (NOFN) project being undertaken by the Government to create a pan-India wired broadband infrastructure. The Rs 20,000-crore NOFN will be laid by BSNL and the management will be entrusted to a Special Purpose Vehicle. All the other operators will be able to use this wired network to reach broadband services to rural areas.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Mr Kapil Sibal, on Monday said the proposed national optic-fibre cable network should not be used by private operators to push their own services but to offer products that benefit the society at large.
Rural teledensity
Addressing the curtain raiser conference of ‘India Telecom 2011: m-Powering India', Mr Sibal said, “The fact that rural teledensity stands at 36 per cent against the urban teledensity of 163 per cent shows that the telecom revolution has not reached the people who really need to be benefited. It should be our endeavour to ensure that this revolution is completed in an equitable manner.”
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