Information Society Watch
A Southern Lens on the Information SocietyIndia’s TRAI calls for broadband subsidies
September 11, 2007, Telecom Magazine
India's telecommunications regulatory body, TRAI has released policy recommendations on ways to improve connectivity. These include using the Universal Service Obligation Funds to subsidise satellite backhaul charges by up to 40 percent when providing broadband links to rural areas. To boost broadband connectivity in urban areas, TRAI recommends that state telecommunications players like MTNL and BSNL appoint franchisees to supplement their broadband services. In the case of wireless, TRAI encourages the government to speed up efforts to accelerate licensing procedures for wireless services. all this is being done to get an uplift to broadband connectivity which is seen as abysmally low 2.34 million at the end of March 2007.