Maran: Easy times ahead

New Delhi, Aug. 3: Broadband prices are all set to fall by the year-end as Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) will launch a low-cost broadband service that is expected to bring down the rates prevailing in the country.

Union minister for communication and IT Dayanidhi Maran today said the two public sector telecom companies — BSNL and MTNL — will launch their broadband services in December. He also hinted that the prices to be offered by these companies would result in a fall of broadband service rates across the country.

The minister pointed out that on broadband policy, the United Progressive Alliance government was set on lowering the prices to help the service reach a larger population.

Speaking on the sidelines of a seminar on e-governance, Maran said, “The internet charges should come down. We are in an unrealistic world of internet charges and as everyone is scared to use dial-up services due to the expenses we have to start broadband services that are affordable to all.”

The two government-owned telecom companies have decided to plunge into broadband. Both MTNL and BSNL are installing the equipment and they will be ready by December.

They will launch their broadband perspective in a big way. The always-on broadband services with 256 kilobits per second will be available for more than four million customers of the two companies.