Dot, Mtnl Plan Internet Gateways

The department of telecommunications (DoT) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) are planning to set up gateways for international connectivity to Internet backbones. This follows cabinet clearance of a key recommendation of the Prime Minister's information technology task force.

International gateways comprise earth-stations and associated switching equipment connecting international telecom carriers. When the cabinet cleared the task force's recommendations, it took its earlier decision to withdraw Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd (VSNL)'s monopoly over international gateway access for Internet services a step further by allowing government organisations to set up their own gateways for the purpose.

Although the initial interpretation of this recommendation was that only the National Informatics Centre's NICNet under the home ministry and the department of electronics' ERNet would be able to set up international gateways, government sources said DoT, MTNL, Indian Railways and PowerGrid Corporation will also be able to do so.

The move by DoT and MTNL, they said, would dovetail with their strategy of being Internet service providers (ISPs) in the country.

DoT has a local Internet server in 28 cities and towns, while MTNL plans to do so in Delhi and Mumbai. VSNL provides the service in six cities.

Currently, VSNL has monopoly over provision of gateway services. Although the current permission by the government is only for data connectivity, sources said, it would eventually lead to the lifting of VSNL's monopoly over even voice telecom services. It is very difficult to distinguish whether voice or data is carried over telecom circuits.

"The DoT and MTNL move is aimed at getting an entry into international telecom services first and then pressurising the government to lift VSNL's monopoly over international telecom connectivity," they said.

The government has committed to review VSNL's monopoly over international connectivity for voice-based telecom services in 2004.

A telecom source said: "It is an absolute necessity to have an international presence in telecom network. That's where the big profits are, as is evident in VSNL's financials. DoT, MTNL and other PSUs know this and want to be there, even if it is currently only for the Internet business."

The IT task force has also agreed to allow private ISPs to set up international gateway for Internet connectivity. According to the cabinet decision cleared on July 24, private ISPs will be "allowed to provide such Gateways after obtaining security clearances for which the interface of private ISPs shall only be with DoT, which will set up a mechanism for obtaining security clearance from different security agencies".