The Hindu Business Line : MTNL to offer high-speed broadband connection soon

HIGH-SPEED CONNECTION: The Minister for Communications and IT, Mr Dayanidhi Maran, with (from right) the Chairman, TRAI, Mr Nripendra Misra; the BSNL Chairman and Managing Director, Mr A.K. Sinha; and the MTNL Chairman and Managing Director, Mr R.S.P. Sinha, at the inauguration of Mahanagar Doorsanchar Bhawan in the Capital on Wednesday. - Ramesh Sharma

New Delhi , Dec. 20

State-owned telecom major Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd on Wednesday announced that it will offer high speed of up to 2 mbps broadband connectivity from January 2007 to its existing subscribers, who were till now getting the connection at 256 kbps.

The move follows a similar decision by the other state-owned company Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd.

Announcing the new MTNL plan, the Communication and IT Minister, Mr Dayanidhi Maran, said the existing broadband subscribers in Delhi and Mumbai will automatically get upgraded to 2 mbps level without any change in tariff. Mr Maran also inaugurated MTNL's new office in Delhi.

The Minister recently declared 2007 as the Year of Broadband in India. The Government has set a target of 9 million broadband connections by 2007 end from the current base of 3 million.

MTNL will provide convergent billing to all its users from 31 March, 2007, which means consumers will get single bill for fixed line telephone, mobile services and broadband. The company will also manage next generation services and third generation services from its new premises `Mahanagar Doorsanchar Bhawan', besides serving more than two lakh MTNL subscribers of East Delhi.

"The new building will be the hub for various futuristic services that we have in the offering like 3G, NGN and convergent billing among others," said Mr R. S. P. Sinha, Chairman, MTNL.