The Hindu Business Line : What's the latest album from Broadband?

ON one side there is Lalu riding the broad-gauge trains, and on the other is Maran riding the broadband bus. Between the two, it is easier to understand Lalu because his language is simple. Not so with our IT Minister, so we're happy that he's happy and smiling, in the photos that show him announcing a new policy one day, and launching an international link a different day. Yet there are lay people who would like to broadly understand the hottest broadband policy that was out only a few days ago, so, let us narrow down our discussion to that.

Begin from the beginning, please!

The policy begins with a broad statement, saying that it was born because the Government has recognised "the potential of ubiquitous broadband service in the growth of GDP and enhancement in quality of life through societal applications". Are you smiling broadly already?

I know AM, FM. Now, what is broadband?

It is about connectivity, but there is a disconnect because there are no uniform standards for broadband. Each country has its own definition of broadband. "Presently an always-on high speed Internet access at 128 kbps is considered as broadband." The US talks of 200, but wait, there is a newer definition of broadband connectivity in the policy, doubling the number to 256 kbps!

Kbps? Is it a part of PDS or a new BP measure?

No, this is kilobits per second, a measure of speed of data transfer. The policy has defined broadband in terms of "minimum download speed to an individual subscriber from the point of presence (POP) of the service provider". Higher kbps means your link can support "interactive services including Internet access" better.

Will the demand go up?

The policy has worked out `the estimated growth' of subscribers. Thus, by 2005, Net-wallahs will be 6 million, and grow to 18 million by 2007, and 40 million by 2010. Divide these numbers by two to get the number broadband babus. I'm sure they would have used Excel to do this calculation.

Throw light on abbreviations in the policy.

The policy throws many a joosra (as jargon that can leave you clueless is called!). Such as: HFC is not housing finance corporation but hybrid fibre coaxial; FTTC sounds like a transport company, but no, it is fibre to the curb; and put an `H' instead of `C' to get `home'. BSNL/ MTNL, you know already. DSL is not a courier but digital subscriber line; VSAT, pronounced `we sat', and you ask `where?' but that is very small aperture terminal. Some people say deeyeth for DTH, on the same lines as 20th, but who will drive home to them that it is direct to home. QoS is quality of service, something `extremely important', according to the policy, and would come "at an early date". There is a para titled `simplification of SAFA/ WPC clearance', that goes above the roof, literally.

Who is Nixie? You know, the name sounds very s***.

"In Roman mythology, the Nixi were goddesses associated with birth," according to www.fact-index.com. "They were called upon to protect women in labour." NIXI is National Internet Exchange of India, set up by the IT Department "to ensure that Internet traffic, originating and destined for India, should be routed within India."

What is the latest album from Broadband?

Oh no, you think it is a music group? Next, somebody is going to ask if broadband-IT lives along with Veerappan!

SayCheek@TheHindu.co.in