BSNL draws network expansion plan for Arunachal

Itanagar, Jan 20: BSNL has chalked out an ambitious plan to lay over 1000 km additional Optical fiber cable(OFC) lines and make use of 20 high capacity satellite system (HCSS) in 2007-08 to bring remote villages of Arunachal Pradesh under its network.

The company would also spread broadband services in tune with the Bharat Nirman programme.

Uptill last December, 941 km of OFC lines had been laid, and 15 HCSS installed by Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited(BSNL) to maintain the core services in case of disruption due to various factors, including erratic power supply, frequent snapping and theft of lines, landslides and difficult terrains, BSNL General Manager Ranjan Dutta.

He informed that mobile connections have overtaken that of landline connections. There are 75,000 mobile consumers against 57,000 landline connections till last December, besides 5,104 WLL (wireless in local loop) connections, he said, adding additional 50,000 mobile, 13,500 WLL, both fixed and wireless, would be provided next fiscal.

Of the total 3,863 villages as per 2001 census, 1,032 villages have been provided with village public telephone (VPT), while 352 and 182 villages would be provided through satellite and WLL respectively by March next, he informed.

Mr Dutta said the BSNL has been expanding its services against various odds, like non-availability of adequate power supply, low voltage, cable theft and frequent fault in areas beyond its control, mainly between Shillong and Guwahati. However, he said that despite various problems, BSNL would carry out its social obligation to reach even in remote corners of this land-locked hilly border state.

The high-speed broadband service network now available at Itanagar, Chimpu, Naharlagun and Nirjuli would be expanded to Ziro, Bomdila, Doimukh, Banderdewa, Rajiv Gandhi University and Yupia with the laying of OFC.

He clarified that the subscribers opting for "One India plan" can talk to people any where in India even with mobiles of other service providers at Rs one per minute while the local calls would be charged at Rs one per every three minutes.

The BSNL has come out, with many attractive schemes and facilities, even rental free landline connection against "CellOne" mobile subscribers with average bill amounting to Rs 1,500 or more for the last six months.

Pointing out that total outstanding bills stood at over Rs 72 crore, including Rs 1.76 crore from the state government and around Rs 51 lakh from central government establishments for landlines and over Rs 15 crore for mobiles as on last December, he appealed to the customers to make regular payment of their bills to help BSNL serve them better. The payment can be made also at SBI branches at Itanagar, Naharlagun, Doimukh, Bomdila and Miao, he added.

UNI