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Stage set for lightning fast downloads
By siliconindia staff writer
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Friday, 15 October 2004, 19:30 IST
NEW DELHI: The much-awaited broadband policy was announced on Thursday, bringing India closer to high-speed, "always-on" Internet a massive improvement on your slow 56-kbps dial-up connectivity. It will be a while before you can actually start downloading DVD-quality films though, reports Hindustan Times.
Announcing the policy, communications and IT minister Dayanidhi Maran said he expected three million broadband users in the country by 2005. Telecom secretary Nripendra Misra said the policy had been announced at this stage to create an 'enabling environment' for broadband usage. The government hopes that service providers will offer broadband for between Rs 500 and Rs 800 per month.
However, the policy is minus two crucial ingredients fiscal incentives to promote usage and an open-sky policy for satellite terminals. As expected, the department refused a key TRAI recommendation on 'unbundling' the last mile copper networks of BSNL and MTNL. However, many of the decisions will free up the potential of wireless broadband through technologies like Wi-FI.