India ready for broadband explosion

New Delhi, Mar 19 (UNI) With new license holders rolling out services, the Indian telecom sector is set to witness an investment of over Rs 1,30,000 crore over the next two years.

Department of Telecommunications (DoT) Secretary Siddharth Behura, while inaugurating the 16th Convergence India 2008 here, said more investment in the telecom equipment sector was required in the same manner as in mobile handset manufacturers.

He also hoped that 75 per cent of the required equipment would be made in the country itself.

''Present slow growth of broadband in India will get a boost from the reduction of CPE prices and USOF initiatives,'' added Mr Behura.

With India adding about eight million new mobile customers every month, MTNL CMD RSP Sinha said the next exponential growth will be broadband explosion.

Talking about MTNL's future plans, Mr Sinha added that the operator is focussing on fixed-mobile convergence. ''This will help in better utilisation of spectrum as well,'' he said.

''Broadband will be in enormous demand with the rollout of triple-play services. With rural broadband coming up in a big way, we will be able to achieve every target that we have been tasked with,'' Prem Behl of Exhibitions India Group said.

UNI MP SR RN2010