DoT to invest Rs 1,000 cr in optic fibre cable network

The department of telecom will provide a Rs 1,000 crore alternative optic fibre cable (OFC)-based network for defence communications in order to enable the armed forces to release 45 MHz of spectrum for commercial services.

"We have already begun the project involving officials from the ministries of telecom and defence. DoT would be spending Rs 1,000 crore," Chairman Telecom Commission and Secretary DoT J S Sarma said at a conference organised by Assocham.

In another development, Sarma said the government was considering the option of creating a directory of cell phone users to provide people easy access to mobile numbers. He added that "enough safeguards would be taken to ensure that there were no lapses".

Sources said defence agencies will release an additional 20+20 MHz at one go in the 1800 MHz band across India, except in Jammu and Kashmir, where only 15+15 MHz in the same band will be released.