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Maran to launch $75 mn broadband initiative
Thursday, 13 January 2005, 20:30 IST
NEW DELHI: Communications and IT Minister Dayanidhi Maran Friday launches a $75-million initiative of state-run telecom firms to extend the broadband services to 198 cities by the end of this year.
The service - provided by Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd - is being launched from Chennai by Maran and from Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Kolkata through simultaneous video conferencing, officials said.
India's broadband policy unveiled last year envisages three million subscribers by the end of this year, nine million by end-2007 and 20 million by end-2009. The two state-run firms have targeted 1.5 million connections by
End-2005.
Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd, which caters to national capital Delhi and financial capital Mumbai, is launching its broadband service under the "Tri Band" brand name with eight tariff plans, officials said.
The monthly charges range from 
749 to 42,999, with a bandwidth range of 256 kbps to 2.0 mbps and unlimited hour-free monthly usages. The company is also offering a free 15-day trial plan at 399 at 256 kbps download speed.
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd is launching its service under its "Data One" brand name with eight tariff plans - four each for homes and businesses, officials said. The service will eventually be available in 198 cities.
The minimum monthly charges under the home plan range from 500 to 3,300, while the business plan envisages a tariff of 1,200 to 9,000, depending upon the size of bandwidth one opts for.
Both these firms primarily plan to use the existing copper cable network, to extend high-speed Internet connectivity for various applications like web browsing and e-commerce.
Customers can also avail of multi-cast video services, video on demand, bandwidth on demand and other value-added services. The service has been designed to permit simultaneous use of the network for video, voice and data services.
The broadband service is also expected to trigger some societal applications such as tele-education, tele-medicine, e-governance and e-entertainment, besides having a potential for employment generation, officials added.
Source: IANS
749 to 42,999, with a bandwidth range of 256 kbps to 2.0 mbps and unlimited hour-free monthly usages. The company is also offering a free 15-day trial plan at 399 at 256 kbps download speed.
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd is launching its service under its "Data One" brand name with eight tariff plans - four each for homes and businesses, officials said. The service will eventually be available in 198 cities.
The minimum monthly charges under the home plan range from 500 to 3,300, while the business plan envisages a tariff of 1,200 to 9,000, depending upon the size of bandwidth one opts for.
Both these firms primarily plan to use the existing copper cable network, to extend high-speed Internet connectivity for various applications like web browsing and e-commerce.
Customers can also avail of multi-cast video services, video on demand, bandwidth on demand and other value-added services. The service has been designed to permit simultaneous use of the network for video, voice and data services.
The broadband service is also expected to trigger some societal applications such as tele-education, tele-medicine, e-governance and e-entertainment, besides having a potential for employment generation, officials added.
Source: IANS