BSNL to provide 25,000 Cellone connections by March end

Aizawl, Feb 23 (UNI) Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) would provide an additional 25,000 new mobile connections by the end of March 2006.

Official sources here said today that they had already fulfilled the target of providing more than 20,000 mobile connections by the end of 2005 at the cost of Rs 20 crore, up from the existing 16,000 connections here.

''An additional 25,000 connections will be provided before end of March 2006'', the officials added.

About 31 BTS (towers) have been erected across the state not only to meet the demand but also to provide hundred per cent mobile reach to the people.

There is also a proposal to increase the capacity of the Wireless and Local Loop (WLL) from the existing version to meet the clarity mobile to reach even the remote parts of the state.

The officials also stated that the 12 small exchange connectivity around the state would be replaced by digital media for better clarity of communication and the existing digital microwave system (DMW) in the other exchanges would be upgraded to 32 megabyte.

The expenditure incurred by BSNL in development of telecom facilites in NE region during 2004-2005 was Rs 252 crores. Planned outlay of 2005-2006 is Rs. 370 crores, the sources added.

UNI SNR TJP AKP1148