BSNL phones to go in a bigway to rural masses: Sinha

Jamshedpur, Jul 22 (UNI) BSNL Chairman-cum-Managing Director Anil Kumar Sinha today said the company has drawn plans to provide five millions of basic telephone connections to the villages within a year.

It would also improve its customer services during the stipulated time, he said.

Mr Sinha, who came here to attend number of programmes, including opening of switch rooms and customer care centre in different areas, told mediapersons that they would also provide broadbrand services to the rural areas and introduce WIMAX technology in the villages for better services.

He said to improve customer serivices the Nigam would also introduce several innovative packages to its subscribers.

Mr Sinha said the BSNL, under its modernisation scheme, had already introduced Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) service through which the viewers could enjoy films and other programmes in their TV set of their own choice.

''The services had already been introduced in Pune and will go to other major cities of South India,'' he said adding that the subscribers from Bihar and Jharkhand, however, would have to wait to avail the service.

About the mobile phone service, Mr Sinha admitted that the BSNL was lagging behind its immediate competitor Airtel, who is leading in the country.

''We want to penetrate in the remote areas and targeting to provide three millions mobile phones every year. Till March this year we have provided two millions mobile connections and try to catch up with our competitors soon,'' the CMD said.

Mr Sinha also said he got reports that some employees of Jamshedpur circle of BSNL had indulged in sabotage and deliberately disrupted the telecom services during the recent country-wide strike demanding quick implementation of 3G systems.

He said an inquiry had been ordered and action would be initiated against those who were found guilty.

UNI