Date:29/09/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/09/29/stories/2007092951040200.htm

Tamil Nadu

More than connecting people

Mammoth BSNL scales new heights by employing modern technology

— Photo: A. Shaikmohideen

FUTURISTIC: BSNL’s customer service centre at the GM’s office in Tirunelveli.

Formed in October, 2000, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited is the World’s seventh largest telecommunications company, providing comprehensive range of telecom services in India.

The services include wireline, CDMA mobile, GSM mobile, Internet, broadband, carrier service, multi-protocol label switching , virtual private network SAT, VoIP services, IN services etc. Within a span of five years, it has become one of the largest p ublic sector units in India.

BSNL has installed Quality Telecom Network in the country and now focusing on improving it, expanding the network, introducing new telecom services with ICT applications in villages and winning customer’s confidence.

Today, it has about 47.3 million-line basic telephone capacity, 4 million WLL capacity, 20.1 Million GSM capacity, more than 37,382 fixed exchanges, 18,000 BTS, 287 satellite stations, 4,80,196 route km of OF Cable, 63,730 route km of microwave network connecting 602 districts, 7,330 cities / towns and 5.5 lakh villages.

Turnover

Scaling new heights, the present turnover of BSNL is more than Rs. 351,820 million (US $ 8 billion) with net profit to the tune of Rs. 99,390 million (US $ 2.26 billion) for the last financial year.

The infrastructure asset on telephone alone is worth about Rs. 630,000 million (US $ 14.37 billion).

BSNL plans to expand its customer base from present 47 million lines to 125 million lines by December 2007 and infrastructure investment plan to the tune of Rs. 733 crore (US$ 16.67 million) in the next three years.

Tirunelveli scene

The Tirunelveli Telecom District of BSNL, through its 81 exchanges across the district connected by 10,000 km copper and optic+ fibre cable network, provides basic phone and Wireless in Local Loop phone services to its subscribers, who are being taken care of by 21 customer service centres, four franchisees, 16 sub-franchisees and 143 direct selling agents with several retail outlets for taking care of the customers.

The mobile phone coverage is ensured by 100 base transmitting stations.

The Tirunelveli Telecom District, for its excellent services to customers, has won several awards at the national-level.

P. Sudhakar