BSNL mobile phone subscriber base touches 4 lakh mark
By siliconindia   |   Monday, 16 December 2002, 20:30 IST
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MUMBAI: Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd said Monday that in just 45 days, its cellular phones have touched four lakh subscribes. The company also plans to roll out one million WLL connections and introduce broad-band services early next year. The response to state-owned operator's cellular services, launched on October 19, has been good and would help improve tele-density in the country, Prithipal Singh, BSNL chairman and managing director, said at a seminar on Communications Convergence organized by Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry. Singh said the broadband services could be provided on existing copper wireline network and it is conducting tests for offerings like video-on demand and high speed internet facility. India's tele-density is close to 4.5 connections per 100 persons. BSNL has already deployed 3.5 WLL connections, he added. BSNL has laid three lakh km of fibre network and connected five lakh villages in the country, he said adding, remaining one lakh villages are expected to be linked by end of next year. "The private sector basic operators are supposed to connect 50,000 villages but minimal work has been done by them," Singh said.

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