Port Blair, August 03: Based on the persistent efforts of the Lieutenant Governor and the Andaman and Nicobar Administration, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had been entrusted with the task to prepare a comprehensive telecom plan for the A&N Islands. TRAI has now completed this work and communicated their report to the Administration through a letter dated 28.07.2014 from Chairman, TRAI.
The plan envisages a two pronged strategy: one, aimed at providing long-term solution through submarine cable connectivity, which is proposed to be laid from Chennai to Port Blair and would connect 6 main islands in phase I. Further, for those islands not being connected through submarine cables, Microwave or Satellite systems would be put up. Secondly, short-term solution, through augmentation of Satellite bandwidth by hiring transponders from foreign Satellites and soon to be launched GSAT-16 of ISRO has been proposed. With this, sufficient bandwidth for broadband and e-governance services as well as 2G and 3G services would be rolled out in phases.
For this, TRAI has recommended an investment of 1773 crores which would include the cost towards the submarine cable project already approved by the Planning Commission for these Islands. The Govt. has already allocated Rs. 150 crores in this year budget for enhancing the Telecom facilities.
