Exclusive: Indian broadband project is most economical across globe: BSNL

State-run telco Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has shared its strategy for the Nation Fiber Optics Network (NOFN) project. Rajan Ghosh, general manager of NFON at BSNL said that, the PSU is successfully accomplishing tasks for the NFON project, which aim to ensure last mile connectivity and penetrate broadband in the country.

Ghosh has also revealed that the fiber optic network is being created with lesser investment, if compared to the same project of other countries such as Australia. He said. “In India, the network is being established with the most advanced technology and lesser investment if compared with Australian broadband project.”The general manager said that, 5 lac new optic fiber will be laid by BSNL, while existing fiber will be leased to private service providers for achieving the last mile connectivity. BSNL has already reached 6,400 blocks with the deployment of the optic fiber network and will soon be reaching 6,600 blocks. He also added that BSNL will provide non-discriminatory backhaul support to the NFON project.

However, Ghosh revealed that presently BSNL is not ready to meet the Panchayat horizontal connectivity under which the telco is supposed to connect all the villages. BSNL is in talks with industry players to find out feasible models to meet the Panchayat horizontal connectivity.

Under the NFON project, the Indian Government aims to connect 2, 50,000 village panchayats by 2015. The project is being executed via Pubilc-Private-Panchayat partnership. Earlier, N Ravi Shankar, CEO of Bharat Broadband Project, Government of India disclosed that the public sector is investing over $4 billion into the NFON project.

K K Milocha, DDG for USOF, Department of Telecommunication (DoT) said that 58 panchayats are set to get broadband connectivity under the NOFN project. The Government has initiated the Bharat Broadband pilot project in several village panchayats across Ajmer, North Tripura and Vishakhapatnam.