The Hindu Business Line : `Power cos can gain from microwave technology'

LEGISLATION is perhaps the only way out to make power distribution companies see reason and abide by the World Bank prescription that they set up networks to monitor, track and contain theft and leakage.

Left to themselves, they would not be unduly worried about putting communication technology to effective use, according to Mr H. Ramakrishna, Chairman of the Technical Council of the Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers (IETE), Bangalore.

Speaking to Business Line in the backdrop of the three-day international trade exposition on microwave technology, IMEC 2004, getting under way in Bangalore from September 1, Mr Ramakrishna said the distribution companies were averse to even automating meter reading and sending bills electronically despite technology being available for the asking.

"Basically, these companies seem to view this as additional expenditure to be borne by the consumer, whereas they should look at it as an investment to improve efficiency and profitability by saving on manpower costs. Perhaps legislation is the only solution to resolve this imbroglio," Mr Ramakrishna said.

Mr Ramakrishna will be co-coordinating the academic sessions at IMEC 2004, being jointly organised by Aeronautical Society of India (ASI), the Society of Indian Aerospace Technologies & Industries (SIATI) and COPEX, among others.

On the outlook for captive wireless networks in the country, Mr Ramakrishna said these networks used to be implemented with proprietary technologies. But today, GSM/CDMA technologies could be used to roll out these networks cost-effectively. Still, agencies such as defence might still require proprietary wireless networks due to security considerations.

There are specific needs of the police, which are now addressed by new standards such as Tetra (terrestrial turned system) developed abroad. There is also an indigenous effort being spearheaded by Bharat Electronics and Centre for Development of Advanced Accounting (C-DAC) to develop this locally.

According to Mr Ramakrishna, there is a huge market for microwave components in India in the electronic ware segment. Mobile satellite technologies were being studied in this respect but huge numbers were not expected as per the assessment of the Department Of Telecommunications (DOT).

He called for R&D investments to set up sophisticated computer aided designing. Innovative methods are needed to scale up to the prototype-level till cost-competitive production level is achieved. Small companies, such as Astra Microwave in Hyderabad, have demonstrated this capability.

Just as microwave technology has a myriad of applications in the military/defence sector, it is equally relevant in the civilian scheme of things as in personal communication, household appliances, entertainment, medicinal electronics and location-based services.

"I.T. is not all about computers software and hardware. There are also microwave subsystems, which act as enablers for killer applications. Totally imported solutions may be available for use; but the high landed cost apart, we are also guilty of not using the large pool of manpower available in both the Government and public sector with decades of experience to fall back on," Mr Ramakrishna said.

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