Bhubaneswar: More than 7000 Villages in Odisha are not having Mobile Broadband Wireless Coverage.
High-speed internet access via mobile networks is called Mobile Broadband.
It connects to a mobile network and transmits data through 3G or 4G services.
This, in turn, allows us to carry out our routine activities from any corner of the world, but within the coverage area
While the Department of Communications has allowed for all out coverage of Mobile Broadband Wireless Coverage in all inhabited villages, the coverage is lagging in the State, admit officials.
According to official reports out of 51,176 villages Mobile Broadband Wireless Coverage has penetrated to 44,058 villages, leaving 7118 villages out of coverage area.
Looking at the scenario the Union Government has launched several schemes for mobile coverage under Universal Service Obligation Fund for Odisha.
Under the scheme for providing 4G mobile coverage in 7287 uncovered villages of Aspirational Districts, 3933 uncovered villages of Odisha are included.
Under the scheme for providing 4G mobile coverage by installing 2542 towers in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas, 483 towers are included for Odisha.
In the meantime Department of Telecommunications has allowed a new framework for proliferation of broadband through public Wi-Fi networks named as Prime Minister Wireless Access Network Interface (PM-WANI).
Under the distributed architecture and unbundling of functions, the entities under PM-WANI eco-system are not required to take any license from the Government. The distributed model will allow smaller players to provide high speed internet services in the country including in rural areas using Wi-Fi.
In fact, BSNL has already started work for providing Fibre To The Home (FTTH) connections under the BharatNet Phase-I districts of Odisha.
In Odisha, Wi-Fi hotspots have been installed at 2,511 Gram Panchyats (GP)s, total 7,866 Fibre to the Home (FTTH) connections have been provided, 153 Gbps Bandwidth and 2,800 km dark fibre have been leased out, officials say.
BharatNet project is implemented in a phased manner to provide broadband connectivity to all the GPs in the country, including Odisha. The scope of BharatNet has been recently extended up to all inhabited villages beyond GPs in the country, including Odisha.
The infrastructure created under BharatNet project is a national asset, accessible on a nondiscriminatory basis to the Service Providers, and the same can be utilized to provide broadband services, such as Wi-Fi Hotspots, Fibre to the Home (FTTH) connections, leased lines, dark fibre, backhaul to mobile towers, etc.
In Odisha, BharatNet Phase-II is implemented by the State Government. Broadband/Internet services are provided in a phased manner by the Government and Telecom Services Provider (TSPs) in the uncovered villages of the country, including Odisha.