The future lies in data: BSNL CGM

An investment of one lakh in the telecom sector has Rs 10 lakh impact on the GDP. The sector has a multiplier effect and the telecom behemoth BSNL with its far reach has tremendous potential. P V Muralidhar, chief general manager, speaks about his plans for AP Telecom Circle.

AP Telecom Circle achieved an 8 per cent growth in 2015-16. What are your plans for this fiscal?
We focused on the basics with emphasis on better, faster and more reliable services and it has paid rich dividends. The credit goes to the 22,000 staff in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. This fiscal we aim to grow by 10 per cent. There has been a significant increase in Cell One connections from 10 lakh connections in 2014-15 to 17 lakh connections in 2015-16.

BSNL has been strong in rural areas. What are your plans for consolidation?
We intend to consolidate our services while expanding at the same time in rural and remote areas. The future lies in ‘data’ and our aim is to improve data services. There are 3,500 3G towers and 7,500 2G towers in AP Circle. We have plans to add another 1,450 3G towers in this financial year. The average revenue per connection in rural areas has increased from Rs 50 to Rs 500 over the years.

The Government of India has a target of providing broadband connectivity to 2,500 villages in India by 2018 as part of Bharat Net under the Digital India programme and AP Circle would be looking to extend its reach in the rural areas.

Telecom sector is technology driven. What are the up gradation plans?
Generation gap is no longer a 10-year period. Technology is changing so fast that we have to be on our toes all the time. There was a period in the eighties when the government incurred a cost of Rs 28,000 to set up a connection but the revenue was just Rs 100 per connection and people had to wait almost 10 years for a landline connection. Today, of course we have come a long way. Presently there are 400 Wi-Fi hot spots in AP Circle and we have plans to increase the number to 4000.

What are the plans regarding expansion of the optical fibre network?
Already, 50,000 km of optical fibre network has been laid and there are plans to increase it to another 5,000 km depending on the demand and need in specific areas. There are also plans to launch 4G services soon.

Has mobile portability affected BSNL and how are you dealing with the ‘call drops’ issue?
As far as mobile portability is concerned, the number of customers opting for BSNL is far higher than those opting out. In comparison to other players, call drop is far lesser and Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has directed companies to compensate customers. It is a serious issue and all efforts are being made to tackle it.

What are the facilities BSNL is planning to provide for Krishna Pushkaralu?
A review of the ghats on the river Krishna has already been completed and the existing 90 towers would be augmented with another 40 towers and 3G coverage along the ghats would be available. We have been successful in providing services during Godavari Pushkaralu and Sammakka Sarakka Jatara.

By T P Venu