Bsnl/mtnl May Have To Share Infrastructure

[abhay 0]

BSNL/MTNL may have to share infrastructure with private firms

The government may allow private operators to share the infrastructure of two telecom PSUs — BSNL and MTNL — especially the copper loop for the broadband services. The move was always opposed by BSNL.

According to the draft telecom policy being prepared by the Department of Telecom (DoT) “to stimulate growth of broadband service, the government would take initiatives in areas such as sharing and unbundling of BSNL/MTNL copper loops on a revenue sharing basis”.

It can be recalled that telecom regulator Trai had earlier recommended unbundling of copper loops, known as last-mile connectivity, where BSNL and MTNL have a virtual monopoly. But it was not accepted in view of strong opposition from BSNL.

“The government would clearly define parameters for right of way to access residential and commercial buildings in order to deliver broadband. Broadband will be treated as an essential service to facilitate the right of way,” the draft NTP said.

Currently, the telecom PSUs are leading in providing broadband services across the country over their competitors from the private sector. The private telecom companies have been demanding unbundling of last mile connectivity with a view to minimise costs as well as to avoid duplication of investment.

edit :-

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1292807.cms

Edited November 12, 2005 by abhay

[linuxguy 0]

haha! Abhay this is great NEWS! I love ya! BSNL and MTNL will now be FORCED to share its local loop This is just what you had said "unless the government forces them, they are not going to relent". Lets just hope this draft goes into action, soon!

[abhay 0]

haha! Abhay this is great NEWS! I love ya! BSNL and MTNL will now be FORCED to share its local loop This is just what you had said "unless the government forces them, they are not going to relent". Lets just hope this draft goes into action, soon!

46650[/snapback]

yup very much true! but lets cross our fingers that GOVT actully forces them to do this

2) but am still a own network and wireless pro

[linuxguy 0]

2) but am still a own network and wireless pro 

Is it me or this just reads gibberish? What exactly are you trying to say? I can't make head or tail of what you wrote!

[abhay 0]

2) but am still a own network and wireless pro 

Is it me or this just reads gibberish? What exactly are you trying to say? I can't make head or tail of what you wrote!

46779[/snapback]

i mean i am still with ISP's having their own network and using wireless tech

[@ksh@T 20]

but lets them agreee first on sharing..they will just get revenue...not customers .....customewrs will go to all pvt operators....thats it!

[SexyGurl 0]

I don't know why such a fuss is being made about this.

What do you expect the private operators will change ... by this "access".

--- The private operator will probably need to buy DSL-compatible equipment (mostly from abroad), and install it in the telephone exchanges of BSNL / MTNL.

BSNL / MTNL have already bought the same equipment already and installed it.

I don't know what extra-value private operators bring, by buying up the same thing, again.

--- Anyway, once they have bought, the private operators will either buy up capatity on optic fiber of BSNL to link the existing telephone exchanges to their own internet backbone.

BSNL / MTNL already have their own connectity from exchanges to the optic fiber backbone.

Please explain, how value will be added by private operators doing the same thing.

--- Private operators will then over BSNL / MTNL's local loop (copper cable) provide DSL internet access. THIS IS JUST WHAT ACCESS IS REALLY MEANING HERE.

BSNL / MTNL will continue to provide telephone services over the same copper.

They also offer DSL over the same copper ... but now you want private operators to move into BSNL telephone exchanges to try to offer DSL internet over the same cable.

What f*kk are they going to do .... anything marvelous there??

--- You'll still have to buy up DSL modems at the other end of the copper cable.

--- You expect great prices, once the market is divided up into more number of players .... each of whom will buying up new equipment (for DSL), which is fast becoming a defunct technology ??

Boss, Fiber-to-the-building is the technology over the future.

Hardly to fuss about too much about any wonders happening by BSNL letting private operators offer f*kking DSL internet over it's historically-proven to be dicey copper cables !!!

In fact, I have hardly heard telecom operators, screaming about BSNL not providing access .... .I don't know why Baijal and DoT is so interesting in forcing the private operators into BSNL exchanges.

More of inconvenience and hoop-la than anything concreate.

Private operators ahve to go the Reliance way .... laying optic fiber to build a Metropolitan Area networks .... Optic-fiber-to-the-building.

Copper is already junk technology. F*kkers are fighting over the skin, while there is hardly any pulp in the fruit.

[adwait 0]

There are new technologies like HDSL, and VHDSL which allow very high speeds over the existing telephone lines. Laying Optic fibres is expensive and difficult. The copper phone lines are already there. With the current technology they can provide very high speed. MTNL, which uses ADSL 2+ technology, which is not really the latest, can provide 10 mbps, which is quite enough for atleast a few years more. After that, new technologies like VHDSL can be implemented to increase the bandwidth. The cost of laying cables, fibre optic or otherwise, is a LOT. Also there are the hassles of BMC permissions etc. for digging up the roads.

[SexyGurl 0]

Reliance is connecting 1 millions building by optic fiber ... over 20 cities.

In any case, India doesn't have sufficient copper laid out by world standards.

It's just good that we didn't have to lay copper earlier .... now all over to replace it by fiber. India is among the rare major markets which will go directly to fiber.

(Even china has a overhang of about 300 million copper based POTS services). India has just 44 million or so.

btw... just in case some one develop fancies .... hardly 10% of the 44 million lie within the specific radius of the telephone exchange, where DSL technology could work.

All telephone connections are by default not able to use copper for DSL .... only within 2-3 kms. of the telephone exchange can.

Edited November 14, 2005 by SexyGurl

[linuxguy 0]

SexyGurl (for God sake PLEASE change your nick!), the reason why we are so eager for the government to unbundle the local loop is because that will allow MORE competition. This will reduce prices. Currently, BSNL and MTNL are ruling the DSL market. Why? Well Airtel and TATAs dont have much copper of their own except in certain cities. TATAs dont offer DSL. Airtel is the only player in the field but too doesnt have sufficient copper to compete with BSNL/MTNL. Now to lay so much copper all over the country is NONSENSE. So when the govt. unbundles the local loop, Airtel, Reliance, TATA and other players will have INSTANT access to our homes! Hence they will be able to provide us with DSL services in the near future. This competition will drive down the prices and help to benefit the common man viz. ME

[SexyGurl 0]

I would have preferred SexyB*tch or wh*re ... it's so much more of a turn-on Alas, those f*kkers would have disallowed. (ok .... to be honest, i don't want the old name to be associated to the cr*p I type in here).

You just have too much fancy expectations from DSL ... it has managed to crawl only in the countries which already have a lot of copper already laid out. EVERYBODY is moving towards Fiber-to-building.

Anyway, you sure, your house is within the specific distance from the BSNL / MTNL telephone exchange .. so that you are DSL-eligible ? Else even if you have copper coming from the exchange to your house, it'll be useless.

Try your cable operator too .... you may get something better over the coaxial cable.

And the best thing --> get RICH enough, to buy an Fiber-access internet :rolleyes: (Or for time-being use webworld ... I was dazzled by the speed there)

I access the net thru my company ... and on the weekends always get 1 Mbps (to my desktop). On other days, between 256kbps - 512 kbps.

Edited November 15, 2005 by SexyGurl

[linuxguy 0]

Dunno, the exchange is about 1-1.5KM from my place. Thats pretty close. Would that do for DSL?? Fiber is TOO costly for our PSUs while Private sector companies like Reliance, TATA and others like to cater to the commercial customers...

[adwait 0]

Yeah...DSL worls upto a maximum of 4200 meters.

[linuxguy 0]

i should be ok then!

[adwait 0]

Yeah...but as the distance increases, so does the attenuation and hence the speed decreases. 4200 is the absolute maximum......but for good speed you should be around 2-3 km max.

[linuxguy 0]

well i am at only 1-1.5 Kms from the exchange! Well within 2-3 kms range

[@ksh@T 20]

well i support this govt move completely........it will be good for all those pppl like me who livein the outskirts of a c ity and optic fibres will take years to come there and i donna wanna go with BSNL and at least i will hv sm options

[SexyGurl 0]

Even I don't oppose it.

Just that if someone is having "too high" that things will change drastically because it ... fat chance.

In any case, I think the future of Broadband in India, in immediate future, for common man, will thru shared use ---- thru Reliance Webworlds etc. (Like PCOs were used before telephone revolution).

Broadband at home, is still some years away. And DSL is no "significant" solution.

[adwait 0]

That depends on your definition of broadband. If, broadband for you means a speed of more than 1 mbps, unlimited downloads @ an affordable price like abroad.....true, broadband is a few years away.

But, if for you, broadband means any decent connection above 256 kbps....then broadband is here.

Using your own anology, we are in the pre mobile era....

[SexyGurl 0]

Broadband for means ... being able to use Broadband-only apps ... which is (1) video conferencing, (2) high-resolution video games over internet.

I am ok, with a dialup type connection at my home, and use PCO-type services for real broadband (for some years).

Broadband, EVEN AT 256kbps is NOT HERE ... for the kind of people who started using mobile post-2003.

Total wireless connections (Mobile + Fixed wireless) = 72 million.

Copper based POTS = 44 million.

DSL is not applicable for wireless services. (so 72 million are out).

Out of 44 million coppoer-bases POTS lines, a big chunk is out because of Distance from exchange factor.

Another Big chunk is out, because the existing wired copper network is not capable of using DSL (.... i don't know the reason, but BSNL chairman said this to TRAI).

I am willing to BET, Broadband in India won't be driven by DSL. It's better to drive internet using wireless (like R-connect type services). Ok ... it's not broadband. But what's important right now is connectivity, not Broadband.

India has less than 10 million internet users right now. First thing is to push that number up to near 100 million.

For Broadband, shared services (primarily thru optic fiber) are going to work.

[adwait 0]

Dial up services are available in most parts of the country (I think) with Rconnect or otherwise with landline phones/modems/dial up ISPs.

Along with increasing the internet penetration, it is also necessary to have broadband, atleast in the cities. What's a farmer going to do with a big bandwidth? But the same can't be said about a user in the city who needs bandwidths for downloads, video conferencing or any other thing.

Broadband, EVEN AT 256kbps is NOT HERE ... for the kind of people who started using mobile post-2003.

If by that you mean the low income group, then MTNL broadband is available at about 200 bucks. Ofcourse, for that plan the free usage is limited, but you do get high speed. These users hardly use their phones for anything but a few calls and SMS, so they can easily avail of such vanilla services @ 256 kbps with such budget plans of MTNL/BSNL.

You are talking about taking broadband connections to the masses in the villages of india........there are no computers there!! What are they going to do with broadband connectivity?

[linuxguy 0]

adwait, my point exactly! What is each villager going to do with broadband? May be the govt. should get its priorities straight. They should first try and bring broadband to cities, which need it the most, and then concentrate on villages. For villages where you dont have decent drinking water, electric supply, roads, hospitals, schools, housing and employement option, what are people going to do with the oh-so-great Indian broadband? Village which require internet connectivity can use VSAT connections. Check out e-chaupal project by ITC....

SexyGurl, I am all for OFCs and wireless! But the problem with BOTH is that ISPs have to start setting up their infrastructure from scratch. Yes, Reliance has OFCs laid out but its still too small compared to the size of our country! BSNL, MTNL will have to start out from scratch. A big hindrance IMO as the govt. makes all efforts to protect their "navratna" companies. While all ISPs will have to invest Billions of rupees in infrastructure BEFORE starting out their services and they will have to keep initial costs HIGH to get back a chunk of their investment. Face it India isn't that rich to weave a OFC net all across our country! It's possible in the major cities but not all throughout the country at this point of time. The only OFCs we have on land right now are for corporates.......

So, DSL is the best option until we get Wifi or OFCs.

and guys JFYI, internationally broadband is MINIMUM 2Mbps speed!

[adwait 0]

and guys JFYI, internationally broadband is MINIMUM 2Mbps speed!

47179[/snapback]

That varies from country to country In UK, a minimum of 512 kbps is required to classify a connection as broadband. In India its 256 kbps......

I am waiting for the day when 512 kbps becomes affordable......right now the best I can get is 512 kbps @ 599/month but that's with a download cap of 1 GB . Atleast 2 GB would have ben good....or the night unlimited package that I have right now @ 256 kbps.

[SexyGurl 0]

I thought I was the laziest person in the world .... but you beat me ... I am yet to feel lazy, going over a Reliance webworld.

(And it's sure practical to set up webworld type PCOs all across India). -- Infact, reliance is connecting 1 million building in 20 cities, for Broadband using Fiber-to-Building already.

Edited November 18, 2005 by Arun

[adwait 0]

That's like asking why do you need Cell phones, or even landlines.......PCOs are around every corner! That's not the point.....

eg: I use Linux and if I have to upgrade. I have to download about 400-500 MBs of data....you can't expect me to do that at a web world then burn a CD and THEN come home and install the updates! Besides, may times that isn't even possible......you need a direct connection from the computer you are updating to the internet.

Forgor linux, even Microsoft Windows, how are you going to download the updates like the service packs etc? Download then burn a CD and then get them home?? Not practical.....