IMPHAL, Feb 16: Speaking in the afternoon session of the three day Bharat Nirman Campaign organized by PIB Imphal in collaboration with its sister organizations at Takyel Kolom Leikai community hall in Imphal West today, Jacinta Kamei asst. director (USO), BSNL Imphal said, Telecom Department has been working towards bringing every part of Manipur closer to one another by providing communication facilities through different technologies like land line using OH cable, U/G cable OFC, WLL, global mobile service digital satellite phone terminal, multiple access rural radio and international maritime satellite terminals.
She informed the gathering that obsolete technologies have been replaced by the latest technologies with a view to provide better communication. The department has covered 70 percent of the population in the state by using different means of technologies.
All the district headquarters are connected by optical fibre cable, the best media connectivity. Broadband facility with different varieties of plans having different types of speed is also provided in all the district headquarters, which will enable customers to browse internet.
She further said that the monthly rent for a connection in rural areas is Rs 50 for exchanges having capacity up to 999, Rs 110 for 1000 and above. Broadband connections up to 31 in every rural is given free. Usage charge however is not free. With the functioning of micro BTS more rural areas will get better signal. Where there is no landline broadband facility the department provides network interface card NIC, and evolution data optimized EVDO through WLL connection enabling customers to browse internet. The tariff is cheap. Rs 350 and Rs 250 monthly rent with unlimited usage.
She said under the national mission for education the department provides broadband through virtual private network VPN. On this VPN connection every education institution can access to education websites only. 75 percent of the charge is already borne by the Ministry of Human Resources Department. An institution needs to pay only 25 percent i.e. Rs 1200 per month.
She said in order to provide communication facility to every nook and corner of the state and to make it easy for the customers in distant areas in getting connection and also for recharging their connection the department have appointed five franchisees , 15 sub-franchisees, 1000 retailers and 15 direct selling agents giving them commission for their activities.
She regretted as the power supply in Manipur is irregular WLL equipments have become non-functional since the inbuilt battery or external battery required regular charging. In such areas solar power system will be provided as done in the past.
N. I. Singh SDE (Planning) BSNL Imphal also spoke. On being asked about the loosely hanging telephone line and the telephone posts, which stand in the middle of the road, he said it will not be seen after some time as modern technologies will replace the outdated ones.
