Regulatory%20initiatives%20to%20promote%20universal%20access%20to%20Broadband

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Regulatory initiatives to promote universal
access to Broadband
- Indian perspective

• Arvind Kumar
• Joint Advisor, TRAI, India
• Rapporteur for ITU-D Study Group 6-2/1

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Focus points

• Background and present status in India
• Current means of broadband
• Why universal access of broadband ?
• Government initiatives
• Recent recommendations of TRAI
• The way forward

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Background and present status

• 1995 Internet services began by Govt owned
  company
• 1998 Internet services opened for private
  sector participation
• 2000 Internet Service Providers (ISPs) were
  allowed to set International Gateways-submarine
  and Satellite

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Background and present status

• 2002 International Long distance services
  opened for private sectors
• 2002 Internet telephony allowed to ISPs (in
  a restricted manner)
• 2004 Broadband policy announced
• 2007 Declared year of Broadband

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Background and Present status

• Internet Service Providers (ISP)

ISP License holders 370
Operational ISPs 130
Broadband Service Providers 72
Operational Internet Telephony Service Providers 32
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Background and present status
Subscribers As on Dec. 2004 As on March 2005 As on March 2006 As on March 2007 As on March 2008
Internet 5.45 million 5.55 million 6.94 million 9.27 million 11.09 million
Broadband 0.04 million 0.18 million 1.35 million 2.33 million 3.87 million
Wireless Internet (through mobile handset) - - - 31.30 Million 66.09 Million
Internet figures include 3.87 Million broadband
subscribers also.
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Background and present status

• Broadband Policy 2004 defined the Broadband as
• An always-on data connection that is able to
  support interactive services including Internet
  access and has the capability of the minimum
  download speed of 256 kilo bits per second (kbps)
  to an individual subscriber from the Point of
  Presence (POP) of the service provider intending
  to provide Broadband service.

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Current means of broadband access
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Current means of broadband access
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Current means of broadband access
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Why universal access of broadband ?

• Communication is moving from passive to Proactive
• Becoming global, available anywhere, anytime
• Broadband Access will give everyone the
  opportunity to be part of a massive lifestyle
  change

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Why universal access of broadband ?

• Rural tele-density is also increasing
• Rural broadband users are more interested in
  educational material, Agricultural material,
  Animal husbandry, e-health and e-governance
  (Computerized land records, Motor license, and
  information related to various welfare schemes)
• Therefore, availability of content with perceived
  utility is very important

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Government initiatives

• The Government of India has recently de-licensed
  50 MHz spectrum in 5.825-5.875 GHz band for WiMAX
  giving boost to WiMAX deployment
• Some of the service providers have already
  initiated action to provide broadband using this
  spectrum
• WIMAX spectrum issued to Internet Service
  providers on city basis
• Spectrum issued in 3.3 to 3.4 GHz range and in
  chunks of 6 MHz

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Government initiatives

• Government of India has amended Indian Telegraph
  Act to extend USO Fund support for rolling out
  broadband services in rural areas
• Licence fees for rural landline services waived
• With USO fund assistance, 10000 towers are being
  established for provisioning of mobile services
• These towers can be effectively utilized to
  provide broadband services also

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Government initiatives

• USO fund Administrator would evaluate and fund
  pilot projects for Induction of new technological
  developments in the telecom sector in rural and
  remote areas
• USO Fund Administrator has already initiated
  discussions to provide broadband in all blocks.
  All options to provide broadband (DSL, cable,
  wireless etc) are being considered
• Broadband coverage of all secondary and higher
  secondary schools, public health care centers,
  Village and community centre

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Recent TRAIs recommendations (2008)

• Government should increase the target fixed for
  Incumbents for provision of broadband connections
  
• For this purpose Incumbent should be encouraged
  to appoint franchisees for providing broadband
  services to supplement their efforts

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Recent TRAIs recommendations (2008)

• There should be total flexibility in developing a
  commercial model
• Close monitoring be prescribed to ensure
  effective utilization of the local loop
• Any procedural restrictions/ limitations should
  be addressed immediately

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Recent TRAIs recommendations (2008)

• Certification for different Customer Premises
  Equipment (CPE) for interoperability
• All CPEs conforming to specifications for
  interoperability should be displayed on website
  for the information of customers
• Incumbents may declare future plans for providing
  broadband using DSL technology to encourage
  manufacturing of CPEs within country

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Recent TRAIs recommendations (2008)

• Looking at the large coverage of cable TV
  networks, Cable Operators should be encouraged to
  provide broadband over their network
• In order to enable the expansion of DTH services
  in the country, Govt. should ensure availability
  of more number of Ku band transponders
• This would also encourage the service providers
  to roll out broadband through DTH platform

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Recent TRAIs recommendations (2008)

• Uniform Right of Way (RoW) procedures across the
  different states
• Rationalise RoW cost
• RoW procedures should be transparent and publicly
  available

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Recent TRAIs recommendations (2008)

• USO fund may be utilized to provide subsidy for
  provisioning of broadband services through
  satellite in remote and hilly areas
• USO fund may be utilized to subsidies backhaul
  charges including International Internet
  bandwidth initially for a period of 3 years to
  support the rollout efforts to provide broadband
  service. It may be reviewed subsequently

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Recent TRAIs recommendations (2008)

• Public private partnership need to be encouraged
  to provide advantage of such facilities to rural
  masses by encouraging various value added
  applications
• Multiple Dwelling Units/ buildings require to be
  ready by internal wiring for the broadband

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Recent TRAIs recommendations (2008)

• Expedite the process of allotment of Spectrum for
  3G WiMAX
• Internet telephony may be permitted to ISPs with
  permission to provide Internet telephony calls to
  PSTN/PLMN and vice-versa

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The way forward

• There is no definite solution for the growth of
  broadband
• The broadband market is far from its peak
• It is thus exciting time for policy makers,
  service providers and consumers
• Broadband has the potential to revolutionize the
  communication landscape

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Thanks

• Contact Information
• Arvind kumar
• Email arvindtrai_at_gmail.com
• Ph No. 91-11-23220209 (work)
• 91-9810428700 (Mobile)