The Countdown Begins

The opening up of the Domestic Long

Distance (DLD) has given the final push to the plans for the New Networks in the

country. Picture of the future networks will become clearer as the networks are

laid across. It will take a few more years before India can stake its claim to

possess true broadband networks capable of providing host of broadband services

across the country. This will result not only in better connectivity, but will

also spawn a true convergence revolution in terms of various multimedia

services, making content delivery better than ever. The dream of

"always-on" may then become a reality. These networks are being rolled

out by almost every category of players–from the cable operators to ISPs to

fixed service providers to the would-be-DLD service providers.

Most of the players are laying fibre as

it is considered to be a one-time investment and is aimed at creating capacity

that can subsequently be increased using DWDM. Data players like ISPs are also

laying fibre perceiving an increase in demand for more bandwidth. The Government

is yet to announce the policy of awarding fixed services licence for most

circles.

Currently, the focus is on creating

sufficient bandwidth for network reliability. Caltiger and Dishnet, the two

major ISPs apart from Bharti, have plans to lay submarine cable for making

bandwidth available to India. Caltiger has plans for 3,000 rkm of submarine

optic fibre cable. Andhra Pradesh is planning to set up state’s own

high-capacity satellite-based network using Malaysian MEASAT satellite.

Most of prospective DLD players have

already started laying their networks. Reliance and Enron have started off in

Maharashtra. Bharti is going ahead, leveraging on its basic network in Madhya

Pradesh. BPL and Tatas are also keen on going ahead with their plans.

With intra-circle traffic for Domestic

Long Distance Operations (DLDOs) being given a go ahead by the Government, it

will create more competition for the fixed service providers. The DLDOs have

plans to lay networks in these areas to take advantage to carry traffic to

second rung cities.

Power Grid Corporation is leading the

pack of utility companies who are using their Right of Way (RoW) and laying the

network. Indian Railways is also in the process of answering the inquiries it

had solicited from interested players. Global utility giant, Enron, meanwhile is

already in the process of laying network across Maharashtra.

One very important development in the

light of the new networks has been tremendous reduction in the cost of

infrastructure equipment. Most of the telecom equipment manufacturers like

Lucent, Siemens, HTL, ITI, Alcatel, and Ericsson have reduced prices by 40

percent.

The existing size of the OFC network in

the country is about 1,80,000 rkm, with DTS alone having 1,74,000 rkm. Sankhya

Vahini will be the flag bearer of its data network. DTS has plans to add another

1,36,000 rkm to its existing OFC network by 2003. Other players have plans to

lay about 70,000 rkm by 2003. With DLD opening up, the planned network may

exceed the expectation.

Manoj Chugh, president,  India

& SAARC region, Cisco, says, "With more players in DLD telephony, India

will witness a quantum jump in telecom infrastructure leading to economic

growth. Indian companies will now benefit from dynamic convergence technologies

like Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) and multi-protocol label switching.

Datacraft plans to offer a complete

range of leading-edge hardware and software solutions that transform traditional

telephone and legacy data services to high-performance IP networks. Spectranet,

will start its services soon on the 170-km Delhi-Gurgaon stretch, leveraging on

its strong tie-up with cable operators. Says Uday Punj, managing director,

Spectranet, "My technological gamble is that scheduled entertainment or

news dissemination, the way are understand today, will not be here when

convergent network comes in. It will be guided by people’s specific

needs."

SB Mittal, CMD, Bharti Enterprises,

which got a commitment of $400 million from SingTel, says "We will be

focussing on broadband networks through acquisitions or installation of larger

pipes–domestic and offshore–through submarine cabling."

Sudesh

Prasad

Manoj Chugh, president,  India& SAARC region, Cisco, says, "With more players in DLD telephony, Indiawill witness a quantum jump in telecom infrastructure leading to economicgrowth. Indian companies will now benefit from dynamic convergence technologieslike Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) and multi-protocol label switching.

Datacraft plans to offer a completerange of leading-edge hardware and software solutions that transform traditionaltelephone and legacy data services to high-performance IP networks. Spectranet,will start its services soon on the 170-km Delhi-Gurgaon stretch, leveraging onits strong tie-up with cable operators. Says Uday Punj, managing director,Spectranet, "My technological gamble is that scheduled entertainment ornews dissemination, the way are understand today, will not be here whenconvergent network comes in. It will be guided by people’s specificneeds."

SB Mittal, CMD, Bharti Enterprises,which got a commitment of $400 million from SingTel, says "We will befocussing on broadband networks through acquisitions or installation of largerpipes–domestic and offshore–through submarine cabling."

SudeshPrasad