BSNL eyes broadband mart

BSNL is hopeful of expanding its internet subscriber base in Goa to 7,000 by the end of current fiscal.

BSNL, which rolled out its broadband service in April, expects to provide this facility to 10,000 subscribers, for both home and commercial users.

Yogendra Singh Sisodia, deputy general manager (marketing), Goa BSNL said that the response from the subscribers in Goa was overwhelming and that the bookings had already crossed the capacity to provide the service.

Explaining the advantages of the 'Dataone' broadband internet service being offered by BSNL, he said, "The service was based on the latest Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line 2+ (ADSL 2+) technology and that, the subscribers have the advantage of using telephone and Internet simultaneously. The Internet would always be on and there would be no need for a dialup. The billing for the Internet service would be included in the normal phone billing."

He said initially, the service has been provided in as many as eight telephone exchange areas. "This would be progressively extended to other areas in both the North Goa and South Goa districts," Sisodia added.

The BSNL would also provide other services such as video conferencing, video-on-demand and many others in the next phases. Sisodia said that there were four monthly slabs under the Home Plan ranging from Rs 250 to Rs 3,300 and the bandwidth available ranged from 256 Kbps to 1Mbps.

The download or upload limit under the Home Plan was from 1GB to 10 GB and free e-mail ID facility also would be available.

Whereas under the Business Plan, the monthly charges would be in the range of Rs 1,200 to Rs 9,000 and the bandwidth available would range from 256 Kbps to 2 Mbps. The download/upload limit was in the 4 GB-40 GB range, he further said.

"We are also offering free night Internet surfing (from 2 am to 8 am) for those subscribers, who has availed the Rs 500 monthly rental scheme and above," Sisodia said and that this would cater the needs of subscribers for downloading or uploading.