Govt ensures full support to telcos

New Delhi, Dec 17 (UNI) In a bid to scale broadband connections to nine million by 2007-end, the Government has assured private telecom players of all support for building the right infrastructure for mobile and broadband services in the country.

''We have decided to provide support from Universal Services Obligation Fund for creation of infrastructure for mobile and broadband services,'' Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology Shakeel Ahmad told reporters here at the concluding day of 'India Telecom 2006'.

Dr Ahmad added ''We welcome the private telecom majors to support as well as compete each other.'' The minister said ''there is need to provide seamless connectivity across the country for voice as well as data to enable the human resource to realise its full potential.'' The wireless broadband will be the key tool for undertaking social initiatives like e-Education, tele-medicine, he said.

Government has no hesitation to take support from private players, Mr Ahmad said, while stressing on bridging the digital divide prevailing between the urban and rural areas.

More than 150 participants participated in the three-day international telecom conference and exhibition, which included manufacturers, technology providers, telecom access providers, value added service provider, internet and broadband companies.

Earlier Minister of Communication and Information and Technology Dayanidhi Maran announced that the coming year will be the year of broadband taking connections to 9 million, and setting the target of 250 million telephone connections with 85 per cent coverage by the end of next year and 500 million with coverage of 90 per cent by 2010.

Mr Maran also said the country would have 50 million rural connections by 2007 and 80 million by 2010, reducing the urban-rural digital divide from 25:1 to 5:1 by 2010.

The minister also said mobile handsets worth Rs 1,000 would be made available within one year.

The production of handsets would be doubled in 2007 and quadrupled by 2010, Mr Maran said, adding that another target is to increase the exports six-fold from present level of 0.5 billion in 2010.

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