NEW DELHI: State-run telecom operator BSNL has tied up with US-based WiMAX solutions firm Soma Networks for the largest WiMAX deployment in the country covering four states in three circles. The proposed infrastructure would provide services to about 20 crore people in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Goa.
Soma Networks was selected after field trials in urban, suburban and rural areas. In the first phase under the tie-up, WiMAX would be deployed in Ahmedabad which would be up and running by June-July this year. The complete deployment will take three years. The alliance between the country’s largest telecom operator and the WiMAX solutions firm is on a revenue-share basis. “BSNL has awarded the contract to Soma for complete deployment in these states. It’s difficult to put a value to the contract since it’s on a revenue-share basis,” BSNL CMD Kuldeep Goyal told ET.
“We would ride on BSNL’s infrastructure and provide our solutions based on the 802.16e-2005 standard, which ensures greater subscriber density,” Soma Networks MD Jatinder Ahuja said. The states, he said, were chosen on the basis of their high industrial growth.
BSNL had earlier received some spectrum in the 2.5 GHz frequency band. It plans to roll out WiMax services in 70 cities across the country by mid-2008 and set up 50,000 Common Service Centres (CSCs) — ICT-enabled kiosks — across the country using WiMAX.
The government has set itself a target of 20 million broadband lines in service by 2010.
Soma Networks is a leading provider of mobile WiMAX solutions. It’s a principal member of the WiMAX Forum. Its solutions are currently deployed in five continents. Headquartered in San Francisco, it has offices in Toronto, Ottawa, Gurgaon, and Singapore.
While WiMax (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) is still an evolving technology, it is still considered a threat to third generation mobile services. As per global industry experience, WiMax offers data speeds that are 10-30 times faster than 3G.
To put this in perspective, the data speeds of 3G networks are over five times faster than those offered by 2G cellular networks that telcos in India currently use.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Broadband Growth for December 2007
Broadband (≥ 256 Kbps download) Growth: Total Broadband subscribers base has reached 3.13 million by the end of December 2007 as compared to 2.87 million by the end of November 2007.
Source : TRAI's Press Release : Monthly Suscriber's Growth
Source : TRAI's Press Release : Monthly Suscriber's Growth
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Sify unveils new logo, plans wireless broadband
NEW DELHI: Internet service provider Sify Technologies on Monday unveiled a new corporate identity, and said it plans to launch wireless broadband services.
"The new identity is aimed at contemporising the brand, and giving it a cool image along with its technology credentials," Sify Technologies Chairman Raju Vegesna said.
The new logo - with Sify written in green over a grey background - reflects an eco-friendly and paper-free world, counterpoised by a business-like, dependable grey colour.
Along with the new corporate identity, Sify announced launching value-added services in both consumer and enterprise segments. Sify is also planning to provide broadband through the wireless technology, he said.
"Sify is now poised to grow further by leading the market with new products and services timed to catalyse the markets both on the enterprise and consumer sides of the business," Vegesna said.
In the enterprise segment, which contributes 60-65 per cent of its revenue, Sify is planning to launch storage and disaster recovery programmes. On the consumer side, it plans to form a unified access platform that will allow consumers to use a single identification to access the Internet from anywhere, be it a Sify cafe, a hotel or home, he said.
Source : EconomicTimes
"The new identity is aimed at contemporising the brand, and giving it a cool image along with its technology credentials," Sify Technologies Chairman Raju Vegesna said.
The new logo - with Sify written in green over a grey background - reflects an eco-friendly and paper-free world, counterpoised by a business-like, dependable grey colour.
Along with the new corporate identity, Sify announced launching value-added services in both consumer and enterprise segments. Sify is also planning to provide broadband through the wireless technology, he said.
"Sify is now poised to grow further by leading the market with new products and services timed to catalyse the markets both on the enterprise and consumer sides of the business," Vegesna said.
In the enterprise segment, which contributes 60-65 per cent of its revenue, Sify is planning to launch storage and disaster recovery programmes. On the consumer side, it plans to form a unified access platform that will allow consumers to use a single identification to access the Internet from anywhere, be it a Sify cafe, a hotel or home, he said.
Source : EconomicTimes
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Speed up spectrum allocation for 3G: Trai
NEW DELHI: Telecom regulator Trai has recommended that the government expedite the process of making spectrum available for 3G and WiMAX to boost broadband growth in the country. “The government should expedite decision on Trai’s recommendations regarding mechanism and pricing of Spectrum for 3G & broadband wireless access,” Trai said in its statement on Wednesday.
Trai issued its broadband recommendations after receiving feedback from stakeholders and taking into account best international practices on impediments affecting broadband growth. It had issued its draft recommendations in September 2007.
“Government announced Broadband Policy in 2004 and made certain projections for broadband subscribers’ growth. It was expected that broadband growth rate would be stepped up. However, it is observed that the growth of broadband in the country is slow and below expected level,” Trai said. The regulator has recommended that the government should ensure availability of more number of Ku-band transponders to roll out broadband services through the Direct-to-Home (DTH) platform. It also suggested encouraging cable TV operators to provide broadband over their network.
Other key recommendations include using the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) to subsidise backhaul charges for the initial three years of broadband roll-out in rural areas and identifying more than two service providers seeking minimum subsidy with a roll-out obligation in rural areas. The regulator said municipal committees should be encouraged to include a clause for making multiple dwelling units/ buildings broadband-ready by adopting suitable internal wiring while giving clearance for the construction of all such buildings in future.
State-run operators BSNL and MTNL should be encouraged to appoint franchisees for providing broadband services to supplement their efforts, Trai added in its recommendations. It has also asked the Central government to work with the state governments to adopt uniform Right of Way (RoW) procedures and suggested formation of district-level committees to study RoW requirements and to take measures to encourage service providers to share ducts.
Source : EconomicTimes
Trai issued its broadband recommendations after receiving feedback from stakeholders and taking into account best international practices on impediments affecting broadband growth. It had issued its draft recommendations in September 2007.
“Government announced Broadband Policy in 2004 and made certain projections for broadband subscribers’ growth. It was expected that broadband growth rate would be stepped up. However, it is observed that the growth of broadband in the country is slow and below expected level,” Trai said. The regulator has recommended that the government should ensure availability of more number of Ku-band transponders to roll out broadband services through the Direct-to-Home (DTH) platform. It also suggested encouraging cable TV operators to provide broadband over their network.
Other key recommendations include using the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) to subsidise backhaul charges for the initial three years of broadband roll-out in rural areas and identifying more than two service providers seeking minimum subsidy with a roll-out obligation in rural areas. The regulator said municipal committees should be encouraged to include a clause for making multiple dwelling units/ buildings broadband-ready by adopting suitable internal wiring while giving clearance for the construction of all such buildings in future.
State-run operators BSNL and MTNL should be encouraged to appoint franchisees for providing broadband services to supplement their efforts, Trai added in its recommendations. It has also asked the Central government to work with the state governments to adopt uniform Right of Way (RoW) procedures and suggested formation of district-level committees to study RoW requirements and to take measures to encourage service providers to share ducts.
Source : EconomicTimes
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
TRAI releases Status Paper on Broadband Speed
Read by clicking on these links
http://www.trai.gov.in/trai/upload/PressReleases/523/spaper1jan08.pdf
http://www.trai.gov.in/trai/upload/PressReleases/523/pr1jan08no1.pdf
http://www.trai.gov.in/trai/upload/PressReleases/523/spaper1jan08.pdf
http://www.trai.gov.in/trai/upload/PressReleases/523/pr1jan08no1.pdf
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