Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

Nokia Siemens Networks announced that it has won a contract from Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), India’s largest telecommunications service provider, to deploy broadband access across 7000 Indian villages. The contract is a part of the greenfield rural tender from BSNL. The new access network’s high bandwidth will allow BSNL to deliver high data and triple play intensive services such as Video on Demand, Video Multi cast, IPTV, Video Conferencing and VPN among others to its customers. The network will also enable BSNL to provide connectivity to CSCs (Community Service Centres) and other e-governance locations.

The two year agreement includes Supply, Installation and Commissioning , Training and Annual Maintenance Contract for 5 years. As part of the contract, Nokia Siemens Networks is deploying its Gigabit Ethernet-capable IP DSLAMs Surpass hiX5625 (Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexers) and chassis based access switch (Surpass hiD6615). Nokia Siemens Networks will also supply end-user devices that will enable BSNL to provide speeds of up to 24Mbps for ADSL2+ subscribers over its existing copper infrastructure. The first phase of new lines deployment will be completed by Q1 of 2008.

News Release By Nokia

Source: voipcentral.org

I have been reading this article with some skepticism actually regarding VoIP failing in India. Well, it has been sometime though that VoIP has been around here with local companies like phonewala.com doing brisk business. However, as the report cites Indian regulations allow VoIP calls to be made only on international destinations like the US, Asia-Pacific and EU countries.

Also, the report cites the abysmal broadband penetration rates in India is a major hindrance. With a million broadband users out of 125 million telephone users, it is a really small market.

However, I still remember when we VoIP was allowed to be used to make international calls, the enthusiasm of people were really very high even in small countries. In India, a large number of people use internet kiosks or cyber-cafs to access internet for personal reasons for until recently, internet was very costly indeed with approximately 50 cents an hour. That is a fairly large amount of money in a country like India.

The number of illegal VoIP operators in India is also very large and it is a thriving business indeed. So, the signs are there that if the regulations along with and the protectionist attitude of preserving inland telephony service operators interests are done away with, India being the worlds second largest consumer market can really fuel the global growth of VoIP and other IP-based services.

The telephony market has just being opened and major private players like Reliance Infocomm, Tata Indicom have put in a major stake in Indias telephony sector. It would be very difficult for the government in power to deregulate VoIP just yet. However, the current soundbytes from Dayanidhi Maran, Union Minister of Information Technology and Communications spells optimism. I am sure, the regulations will be done away with in this year itself. If not completely, then a majority of the screws in place would be loosened.

We can only come to some sort of a definite conclusion on Indias VoIP prospects seeing the next 18 months. In the mean time, we should look up to how the mobile market boomed when the chains were unshackled.

India has always been a slow starter in such things, but when it does take over, it surpasses and surprised many.

We can be optimistic.