The Hindu : Business : VSNL to lower rates for broadband users

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 30, 2004

Business

Business

VSNL to lower rates for broadband users

Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, APRIL 29. The Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL), the country's leading telecom and Internet service provider, today indicated that the tariff for the Internet broadband "will be lowered further.''

"With the formal commencement of the terminal equipment installation activity of the Tata-Indicom Singapore Cable System in Chennai which would be commissioned by October this year, the VSNL will be able to provide seamless access and upgraded capacity from Singapore to the U.S. and European countries,'' said N. Srinath, Director (Operations), VSNL.

Talking to The Hindu after participating in the formal pooja celebrations and traditional coconut breaking ceremony, Mr. Srinath noted that with the proposed Tata Indicom cable system linking Chennai and Singapore aimed at significantly enhancing India's connectivity into the Asia-Pacific Region and the U.S. en route the Pacific.

"The Tata Indicom cable undersea cable project will ensure that our customers and broadband subscribers will get to quicker connectivity on the International Long Distance (ILD) and National Long Distance (NLD) network.

The cable with Tyco Telecommunications, one of the world's leading providers of undersea fibre optic systems, marine services, with whom the VSNL has signed a supply contract, will cater to the growing demand for international bandwidth to and from India. The system will also increase the diversity of our range of services,'' Mr. Srinath said.

The new 3,175 km Tata Indicom submarine cable system will run between Chennai and Singapore and the hi-tech system will have an initial capacity of 320 giga bits per second (gbps) with an ability to scale up to its design capacity of 5.12 tera bits.

Elaborating further, Mr. Srinath said the VSNL was now rapidly expanding its retail and corporate presence under the Tata Indicom brand through its products like high speed broadband, dial up Internet, net telephony, and calling cards, with an Internet subscriber base of over eight lakhs.

The VSNL proposed to consolidate its presence in the Internet space by increasing its impetus on the retail broadband business.

VSNL, he noted, was in the process of expanding its global presence by setting up operations in Sri Lanka, Singapore, Europe, and the U.S.

Earlier, speaking at the formal flagging off function for the proposed Chennai-Singapore cable project, Mr. Srinath said it was a significant day for those in the VSNL as the project would provide a quantum jump for the Internet users and pave the way for more value added services.

Describing the installation as an important milestone for the VSNL, its Southern Regional Manager, A. S. Menon, expressed confidence that the project would be completed ahead of its scheduled time in October.

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