The Hindu Business Line : BSNL launches direct ILD services to Sri Lanka

Mr Dayanidhi Maran, Union Minister for Communications and IT, launching BSNL's direct link international long distance services between India and Sri Lanka in Chennai on Saturday. Others in the picture are (from left): Mr A.K. Sinha, Chairman and Managing Director, BSNL; Mr Shuhei Anan, CEO, Sri Lanka Telecom; and Mr V.P. Sinha, Director, Planning, BSNL. - Bijoy Ghosh

Chennai , Oct. 16

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd marked its entry into international long distance services by commissioning a direct digital microwave link to Sri Lanka.

The service was inaugurated here on Saturday by the Union Minister for Communication and Information Technology, Mr Dayanidhi Maran, who used the link to talk to his counterpart, Mr D.M. Jayaratne, Sri Lankan Minister for Posts and Telecommunications.

BSNL will now carry the voices of telephone callers between India and Sri Lanka on its own infrastructure rather than depending on other carriers such as VSNL (Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd), which meant an additional expense to BSNL. Also, the direct link will offer better quality to callers.

The BSNL Chairman and Managing Director, Mr A.K. Sinha, announced that the call charges between India and Sri Lanka would be cut to Rs 12 a minute from October 21 against the current rate of Rs 18.

Mr Sinha said the communication link between India and Sri Lanka would be further strengthened with a submarine cable link extending across Tiruchendur, Tamil Nadu, and Colombo. This will be commissioned by September 2005.

BSNL expects to offer broadband services during the current year and carry voice, data and video. This facility will be launched by December 2004. In his inaugural address, Mr Maran said the communication link would enhance regional ties. Efforts are on to forge such links with other countries.

With a subscriber base of 8.5 crore lines, BSNL is adding about 20 lakh lines a month, and will touch 20 crore lines by 2007. Through the proposed broadband introduction, it will add 90 lakh subscribers and 8 crore Internet users by 2007, said Mr Maran.

Mr D.M. Jayaratne, who addressed the participants over a videoconference link, said the proposed submarine cable link would improve connectivity globally. Sri Lanka Telecom is encouraging international participation in setting up information and communication technology infrastructure.