Andaman fibre link to unlock true potential of 4G, 5G: Sunil Mittal

Airtel said the inauguration of undersea optic fibre link between Chennai and Andaman and Nicobar Islands is a game changer, and will unlock the potential of 4G and 5G services in the region.

Bharti Airtel on Monday said the inauguration of undersea optic fibre link between Chennai and Andaman and Nicobar Islands is a game changer, and will unlock the true potential of 4G and, in future, 5G services in the region.

The company said it was the first mobile operator to launch 4G services in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

"The fibre link will be a game changer for the region and unlock the true potential of 4G and even 5G in future for customers," Bharti Airtel Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal said in a statement.

Airtel has been serving customers in Andaman and Nicobar since 2005. It was the first private operator to launch mobile services in the islands.

"Airtel remains fully committed to the government's vision of Digital India. We hope the Department of Telecom will accelerate the deployment of USOF (Universal Service Obligation Fund) for building such infrastructure backbone to complement the efforts of telecom operators to bridge the digital divide," Mittal said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated the first ever undersea optical fibre project for Andaman and Nicobar Islands which will provide high speed broadband connections in the Union Territory at par with services in the mainland.

On December 30, 2018, the prime minister had laid the foundation for the 2,312-kilometre long submarine optical fibre cable project connecting Chennai-Andaman and Nicobar Islands (CANI).

All telecom operators in the country will be able to provide mobile and broadband services using the CANI optical fibre link.

According to official data, internet speed of 400 gigabyte (Gb) per second will be provided at Port Blair, while for other islands it will be 200 Gb per second.

PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry's telecom committee chairman Sandeep Aggarwal said India has taken yet another step towards making the country truly 'atmanirbhar' (self-reliant) in telecommunications and internet connectivity with the commissioning of the strategic undersea fibre link.

"It will give a much-needed boost to the economy and tourism sector of Andaman and Nicobar. With good broadband speed and more robust telecom network, Andaman and Nicobar will become a destination for investment for companies, besides giving fillip to Prime Minister's Digital India initiative," Aggarwal said.