Soldiers posted in remote locations can now use satellite phone to connect with families

Over 1,400 remote locations where Indian soldiers are posted will be connected with satellite communications system or VSAT which will help these jawans to communicate with their families over phone, the government said on Friday.

Military and paramilitary soldiers stationed in those remote locations will get 1 GB data per day through VSAT facility.

"Digital Communication Commission (DCC) today approved to use VSAT for connecting 1,409 remote locations provided by the Ministry of Defence and Home Ministry where jawans are posted. We will provide free 1 GB data daily which they can use to make calls to their families," Telecom Secretary Anshu Prakash told reporters.

He said that at present these soldiers at these locations depend on community or village telephones to connect with their families.

"With this system, soldiers will be able to subscribe connections at very cheap rate and make calls to their families at a nominal price," Prakash said.

The VSAT will provide data download speed of 1-10 megabit per second.

The DCC, apex decision making body at the Department of Telecom, approved providing digital connectivity to 4,087 uncovered villages in 112 aspirational districts across the country. This will also include connectivity to all 144 unconnected villages in Jammu and Kashmir and Leh union territories, Prakash said.

"There were a total of 11,876 uncovered villages in 112 aspirational districts. 4,087 are getting covered now.

"After this, we will very soon come up with a plan to cover remaining 7,789 uncovered villages," Prakash said.

The DCC also approved optical fibre-based broadband connections in villages under BharatNet where the high speed connection through optical fibre will be provided to at least five institutions under gram panchayat like schools, primary health and wellness centres, anganwadi and panchayat bhawan, etc.

"The connections will be provided based on the location of the panchayat and availability of the institutions around but to at least 5 of them," Prakash said.

The DoT has roped in Common Service Centres to handle the FTTH project.

"In next 3-4 month, 1 lakh villages are expected to have 5 lakh FTTH (fibre to the home) connection with download speed of 2-10 mbps. This will be very productive use of Bharatnet," Prakash said.