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Status of Broadband . Presentation by S.C. Khanna, Secretary General Association of Unified Telecom Service Providers of India . New Delhi 15 December 2006. Source: Govt Policy. Source: TRAI. Present Status. Broadband penetration is low in India.
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Status of Broadband Presentation by S.C. Khanna, Secretary General Association of Unified Telecom Service Providers of India New Delhi 15 December 2006
Present Status • Broadband penetration is low in India. • However, recent trend shows it is growing steadily. • As on November 2006, we are having only 2 million broadband connections in the country. • Government policy envisages a target of 9 million broadband connections by 2007. • There is a wide gap between target & achievement.
To facilitate broadband penetration and growth of this sector, Government should ensure: • Supportive policies • Affordable access • Broadband Wireless • Unbundling of Local Loop to UASLs
Supportive policies • Govt. should promote use of various technologies for Broadband • Right of Way acquisition process to be simplified and speeded up. • Compulsory access to customer premises – Legislation required. • Tax deductible status for expense on broadband. • Subsidy to service providers for infrastructure. • Investment in key developmental content and services.
Government to drive subscriber usage and revenues for the service provider. • Government to encourage usage of Broadband service for: • Land records. • Filing of IT/ Tax returns. • Vehicle registration. • Processing of driving licenses. • Processing of passport applications, ration card, etc. • Payment of electricity, water bills, etc. • Education and agricultural consultations. • Tele-medicine.
Support for local access and content delivery beyond 150 commercially viable towns. • Provision of minimum one computer with Internet connectivity in each school. • Provision of fund and loans at low interest to the users through bank. • Appropriate local and regional content for creating demand for broadband usage.
Affordable access • To make available components used for broadband connection at affordable price. • To ensure lower price for access devices such as PCs, STB etc. • Government to allow 100% depreciation for CPEs like PCs, STB etc. • Allow operators to set off ED paid by them for procuring indigenous equipment.
No customs duty /CVD for imported equipment and parts used for broadband connection. • No entertainment tax to broadband service. • No service tax for this sector. • Support industry to set up experience centres through tax breaks. • Financial support for villages with less than 2000 population for access facilities. • Income tax breaks be extended to broadband sector as well.
Broadband Wireless • Availability of adequate spectrum for wireless network architecture at reasonable costs. • Appropriate spectrum for broadband wireless system like WiMAX etc. • Align ourselves with prevalent world standards / practices for allocation and assignment of spectrum to access providers. • Allocation of spectrum in one lot - no piecemeal allocation. • Participation of private sector in spectrum management to bring in transparency and speed. • Government’s National Spectrum Policy to be brought out.
Local Loop Unbundling • Local Loop Unbundling is the process where the incumbent operators make its local network [the copper cables that run from customers premises to the telephone exchange] available to other companies. [Source: Ofcom] • LLU to be reviewed during the 11th Five Year Plan.
