‘We have signed Mous with 13 states and 3 UTS covering 140,000 gram panchayats’
Please give an update on BBNL’s pilot projects.
Bharat Broadband has done 3 pilot projects covering 58 gram panchayats and 3 blocks. The work was completed on October 15. We are hoping that services in these blocks will be offered by TSPs and ISPs that include BSNL, airtel, and Reliance. In 58 pilot locations, 200 kilometers of OFC has been laid.
Can you provide update on survey of 250,000 gram panchayats.
We have enrolled 3 PSUs—BSNL, RailTel, and PowerGrid to undertake survey in order to know the exact kilometers of route. Allocation of work has been done across states and union territories. BSNL has been assigned 70% of the survey work, while other two PSUs will complete 15% of work each.
Survey work of 25,000 gram panchayats (10%) has been done. Once it’s completed, then BBNL will ensure its quality and will allow digitization by NIC offices. Survey is necessary to know the exact kilometers of OFC to be laid. Based on detailed estimates, we’ll give technical and administrative sanction within 3-4 months, and then fiber will be rolled out.
Will you vouch for home-grown OFC and equipment providers?
We had detailed discussions with OFC providers, equipment manufacturers, and GPON technology providers. If there is enough capacity and capability to provide these within the country with cost advantage, we could go for it. We are looking at Private Public Panchayat Partnership (PPPP) model.
DoT has issued a guideline on October 5th which lays down norms for preferential market access for different components. We’ll source 100% indigenously-manufactured OFC. There is a minimum requirement of 75% GPON to be met from local manufacturers. It can go up to 100%. Network monitoring systems would be from CDoT. We are taking full services from C-DoT for designing network equipment.
BBNL is still to ink MOUs with many state governments. Do you believe that things will come in your way?
We have signed MoUs with 13 states and 3 UTs covering 140,000 gram panchayats. We are hopeful that in 3-4 months all states will sign MoU with us. At this point the response from the industry is less than desirable. Data is buyers market and enthusiasm from seller is less. It’s a matter of time. Ecosystem has to be developed. After more trials, it’ll catch up like a wild fire.
But again, pain points exist. Will it not miss the deadline?
We are very optimistic. This project will be completed within the desired time frame. After the full survey, we’ll be able to understand the actual project cost and tenders will be floated. This is just a passing phase and we’ll turn the corner in new year. (The article was first published in CIOL)