R Raghavendra | Times News Network
Bangalore: Tech-savvy Bangaloreans can't seem to have enough of the worldwide web. A huge rush for broadband connectivity is making service providers go back to their drawing boards in an attempt to bridge the demand-supply gap.
Not long ago, BSNL was almost pleading with customers to sign up for their broadband service and even offered a free threemonth trial period. Today, 96,000 Bangaloreans have already signed up for its broadband services, and the stateowned communication service provider is fast approaching its full capacity for connections. Those asking for connections now are being told there would be a two/threemonth waiting period.
The capacity constraint has arisen due to non-availability of ports. Each user gets one port and BSNL is currently in the process of adding 2-3 lakh ports nationally, which could provide some relief.
For the medium term, BSNL has issued orders for supply of 2.66 million ports worth Rs 800 crore to UT Starcom, Siemens and ZTE. As part of the national expansion plan, BSNL plans to add six million ports across its network. These new ports, however, would take about two months to arrive.
"The present infrastructure is designed to add 2-3 lakh lines across India. But we expect another two lakh customers to sign up for broadband in Bangalore alone. By March, we would have built up additional capacity for 2.25 lakh lines in the city," A N J Aradhya, general manager (network co-ordination), BSNL, said.
BSNL's Bangalore office has been entrusted with the responsibility for the national rollout, where it decides all aspects of procurement and deployment of new lines.
Private service providers too are under pressure. Airtel, which claims it has a broadband customer base of over one lakh in Bangalore, says most of its wireline customers are signing up for broadband. "But since it is not easy to get permission to dig up roads for enabling new fixed line connections, there could be some difficulty to cater to new connections,'' said Prem Pradeep, CEO-South (broadband and telephone services), Airtel.
He says the usage of broadband is very high in Bangalore, with more and more people working from home.
Also read
BSNL broadband will soon be at 2 mbps in India
Bangalore: Tech-savvy Bangaloreans can't seem to have enough of the worldwide web. A huge rush for broadband connectivity is making service providers go back to their drawing boards in an attempt to bridge the demand-supply gap.
Not long ago, BSNL was almost pleading with customers to sign up for their broadband service and even offered a free threemonth trial period. Today, 96,000 Bangaloreans have already signed up for its broadband services, and the stateowned communication service provider is fast approaching its full capacity for connections. Those asking for connections now are being told there would be a two/threemonth waiting period.
The capacity constraint has arisen due to non-availability of ports. Each user gets one port and BSNL is currently in the process of adding 2-3 lakh ports nationally, which could provide some relief.
For the medium term, BSNL has issued orders for supply of 2.66 million ports worth Rs 800 crore to UT Starcom, Siemens and ZTE. As part of the national expansion plan, BSNL plans to add six million ports across its network. These new ports, however, would take about two months to arrive.
"The present infrastructure is designed to add 2-3 lakh lines across India. But we expect another two lakh customers to sign up for broadband in Bangalore alone. By March, we would have built up additional capacity for 2.25 lakh lines in the city," A N J Aradhya, general manager (network co-ordination), BSNL, said.
BSNL's Bangalore office has been entrusted with the responsibility for the national rollout, where it decides all aspects of procurement and deployment of new lines.
Private service providers too are under pressure. Airtel, which claims it has a broadband customer base of over one lakh in Bangalore, says most of its wireline customers are signing up for broadband. "But since it is not easy to get permission to dig up roads for enabling new fixed line connections, there could be some difficulty to cater to new connections,'' said Prem Pradeep, CEO-South (broadband and telephone services), Airtel.
He says the usage of broadband is very high in Bangalore, with more and more people working from home.
Also read
BSNL broadband will soon be at 2 mbps in India
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