Ambani Talks Broadband Vision With I&b Minister

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NEW DELHI: Reliance Industries CMD Mukesh Ambai met I&B minister S Jaipal Reddy today and briefed him on the group’s foray into communications and entertainment, focusing on Reliance Infocomm’s broadband plans. I&B sources said he elaborated on his ‘Broadband Bharat’ vision, citing the Dhirubhai Ambani Knowledge City (DAKC), where TV, Internet and video are delivered via broadband. The 140-acre plot in Navi Mumbai, which houses the DAKC is also linked via wireless large area network and 802.11b wifi technology. (See ET: April 13, 2003 for details)

The broadband arrangement would apparently work out to a cost of Rs 500 per user per month, within the DAKC which houses the national network operations centre, Internet data centres, call centres, application development laboratories and offices of Reliance Infocomm Ltd, which monitor the company’s fibre-optic network and update data services provided to cell-phone subscribers. But Mr Ambani wants to make broadband available through the optic fibre laid by his company across the country for as little as Rs 300 per month.

It is now widely publicised that Reliance has invested $2.85 billion in an 85,000-km fibre-optic network. Mr Ambani explained to Mr Reddy the tremendous connectivity afforded by the 1,20,000 info highways being set up by his company. Mr Ambani told Mr Reddy, the way ahead for media was broadband and that he would work towards “leapfrogging” technologies to bring the best solutions to consumers.