250 million subscriber base by August: Maran

New Delhi, Apr 25 (UNI) The government today said a whopping 50 million telecom subscribers will be added in rural areas by setting up 8,000 transmitting towers this year.

Communication and IT Minister Dayanidhi Maran said the overall telecom base of the country will reach 250 million by August from 206.83 million at present.

Besides, the number of connections is targeted to double to 500 million by 2010, he said.

To tap the rural areas of the country 8,000 towers will be installed through the Universal Service Obligation (USO) Fund this calendar year, Mr Maran told reporters here.

''We will set up 10,000 towers in rural areas by 2009-10 and have asked the USO administration to come out with a plan for fibre to village (FTV),'' he said. Fibre will play an important role in the years to come, Mr Maran added.

Mr Maran said the total telephony subscriber base (wireless and wireline) stands at 206.83 million at the end of the fiscal, with an annual addition 66.51 million subscribers during-fiscal 2006-07.

On domestic roaming, Mr Maran said tariff would come down heavily compared to local charges in the next two years.

Also, a penalty of Rs 1,000 per subscriber will be imposed on the telecom operators for non-verification of customer's identity, the process for which has already begun.

''Traffic with BSNL is increasing at a very fast pace and the company has an ambitious plan to roll out in the coming period,'' Mr Maran said adding it has been asked to double its turnover.

A total of 67 million lines is to be added by BSNL and MTNL in the current fiscal.

Regarding the security concerns hovering the telecom sector, Mr Maran said ''It cannot be undermined as well as we should not be carried away with it.'' More UNI