Reliance Infocomm To Invest Rs 5,000 Crores

[Arun 795]

Press Trust of India / Mumbai June 20,2004

Reliance Infocomm has embarked upon second phase of expansion to add another 60,000 km of optical fibre network to the existing one lakh km covering entire country and has planned to invest Rs 5,000 crore in the current fiscal taking total investment to Rs 20,000 crore.

The company has already invested between Rs 12,000 crore and 15,000 crore in the infocomm business which mainly covered its wireless telecom operations, sources said, adding that now the company's focus has shifted to broadband as the mobile telephony has been streamlined.

Asked about the total investment in the telecom project, sources said the company is planning to invest up to Rs 30,000 crore.

With a view to offer broadband services on the optical fibre network and on its own last mile link on copper network between the exchange to the last mile (household or customer premises), Reliance Infocom has targeted to cover 1000 towns over the three years.

Though at most of the locations the company would be laying copper network for last mile link, at some locations Reliance would be offering broadband services through wireless technology where copper laying would not be a viable option.

The company has planned to cover the four metros and 'A' class cities like Bangalore and Hyderabad in the first year ending March 2005, covering 'B' and 'C' class cities by 2007.

[Chirag 5]

Hopefully now i'd see the Reliance Cables reaching my home as well !