Page 5 - Broadband

Address AGR issues for cable ops, fix min broadband speed at 2 mbps: Trai

Telecom regulator Trai on Tuesday recommended a slew of measures, including fixing minimum broadband speed at 2 megabit per second, to promote internet connectivity and increase connection speed.

BBNL defers Rs 19,041 cr Bharatnet broadband tender bid date to Sep 14

State-run Bharat Broadband Network Limited has deferred bid dates for Rs 19,041 crore BharatNet broadband tender to September 14 after potential bidders raised more than 2,000 queries on the project. An official source told PTI that the bid dates are likely to be extended further as the queries need to be vetted by the Department of Telecom as well and the entire process may take a few weeks. According to the information published on BBNL, the bid date has been deferred from August 24 to September 14 as of now. Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL) has invited global bids for the development (creation, upgradation, operation and maintenance and utilisation) of BharatNet through a public-private partnership model in nine separate packages across 16 states for a concession period of 30 years. The government has earmarked Rs 19,041 crore viability gap fund for the project. Under the project, the government plans to cover an estimated 3.61 lakh villages (including gram panchayats) .

Govt targets connecting all Indians through internet by 2025: MoS IT

The government has a target of connecting all Indians through the Internet by 2025 mostly through broadband of Bharat Net, simplifying cyber-law for ease of doing business, Rajeev Chandrasekhar said

Sterlite Tech to acquire UK-based network integration firm Clearcomm Group

Broadband technology company Sterlite Technologies on Thursday said it will acquire Clearcomm Group, a leading Network Integration company in UK, to further globalise its system integration business

Rivals turn the heat on Sunil Mittal's stand on satellite spectrum

Mittal had said, with Airtel setting up only two ground stations for uplinking in rural areas, the requirement for spectrum was minimal and different from terrestrial mobile services

Sky-high battle between satellite service providers and telcos for spectrum

Satellite companies are demanding spectrum free or at a nominal administered price as is done in other parts of the world. The move is being vehemently opposed by telcos through the COAI

5G's bouquet of promises: A technology that can change our lives forever

With the myriad possibilities that super high speeds and ultra-low latency could bring, telcos in India are looking at killer applications to attract consumers initially

Next victim of chip shortage will be home internet routers as supply chokes

Sharp coronavirus manufacturing shutdowns a year ago were exacerbated by a prolonged surge in demand for better home broadband equipment

Best of BS Opinion: Backsliding without broadband, Covid-19 vaccine & more

Here's a selection of Business Standard opinion pieces for the day

Backsliding without broadband

We are losing out on so much of our potential because of regulatory constraints

Pre-booking for Elon Musk's Starlink Internet opens in India

Pre-booking for Elon Musk-owned SpaceX's Starlink Internet Service has opened for several places

Elon Musk's broadband-from-space subsidy irks rivals who sought cash

Even before winning a competition for the funds, SpaceX had begun launching satellites. More than 1,000 of the Starlink craft are now aloft, providing service to test subscribers

Staring at an abyss

Do India's laws governing the internet need revolutionary change?

Best of BS Opinion: Two steps to boost broadband usage, Budget 2021 & more

Here's a selection of Business Standard opinion pieces for the day

Two steps to boost broadband usage

The first, fixing technology gaps, should be easy. The second warrants consideration for better services and to avoid undue disruption

Space wars: Mittal, Musk bet on satellite broadband as telecom's new star

Mittal is planning to invest $2 billion on a once bankrupt low earth orbit constellation satellite company OneWeb to put up more satellites

Govt to launch public Wi-Fi networks, with no fees or licence

The Cabinet has also approved the laying of undersea cables to provide high-speed broadband to Lakshadweep

Govt okays laying undersea cables for high-speed internet in Lakshadweep

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved laying of an undersea optical fibre cable to 11 Lakshadweep Islands to provide high-speed broadband internet connectivity, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said on Wednesday. This would be on the lines of the one recently laid to Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The cabinet also approved setting up of 1 crore data centres, he said.

Broadband definition needs change, must be upgraded to 2 Mbps: BIF to Trai

BIF has said a revision of broadband definition and speeds in India are long overdue and that it should be reviewed and upgraded to 2 Mbps from current 512 kbps which is "dismally low".

Why are telecom firms so keen to own contentious E and V spectrum bands?

Telcos want them to be auctioned; internet service providers want them to be delicensed. In between is the battle to capture the lucrative and fast-expanding market for data services