GSM-based mobile phone service soon

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, FEB. 24. The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is getting ready to provide GSM-based mobile telephone services by March 31, the Union Communications Minister, Mr. Ram Vilas Paswan, said here today.

Work on the pilot project had started. For launching it countrywide, bids had been invited from suppliers for providing the technology and switching systems. For the southern region, the Kerala Telecom Circle had been named the nodal agency to evaluate and finalise the bids.

For reaching out to the rural areas, the BSNL had approved the use of coded division multiple access (CDMA) technology. At present, 2 lakhs out of the 6 lakhs villages did not have telephone connections.

To get over the problems of connectivity, wireless in local loop (WLL) technology would be used in rural telephony. The CDMA technology had been preferred to a similar technology developed by the IIT-Madras, because of the former's higher ``handling capacity''. The IIT's technology, would be more useful in the urban areas.

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Section  : National
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