Question : TELECOM SERVICES IN VILLAGES BY BSNL

(a) the number of villages where BSNL is providing telecommunication services along with those villages where these facilities are yet to be provided, State-wise;

(b) whether all the villages are targeted to be covered by the telecom facilities and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the mobile signals of BSNL are poor in the rural areas/villages where the company is providing mobile telephone facility;

(d) if so, the details thereof and reasons therefor, State-wise, including Jammu & Kashmir; and

(e) the action taken by the Government to improve the mobile signals and installation of more mobile towers, State-wise?

THE MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

(a) BSNL has reported that it is providing telecommunication services in 4,15,326 villages with mobile services and 5,81,183 number of villages with Village Public Telephones (VPTs).The circle-wise detail is given in Annexure-I.

(b) Government has planned to provide telecom services to all villages, which do not have mobile connectivity by any service provider, in a phased manner with provision of mobile connectivity to uncovered villages in Himalayan States, Western Border States and North-Eastern Region in the first phase.

(c)& (d) BSNL has reported that its mobile services in the villages where it is providing these services, are generally satisfactory and meeting Quality of Service (QoS) benchmark prescribed by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.

(e) BSNL is taking several steps to strengthen its network and focus on customer care and service delivery to improve quality of service.

The investment projects being undertaken by BSNL include:

# Augmentation of its mobile network as part of its Phase-VII Project to create additional capacity of 15 million lines at an estimated cost of Rs. 4804.77 crores. This will result in addition of 14421 2G sites and 10605 3G sites across the country.

# Monitoring of the Fault Repair Service System.

# Deployment of modern and state of art CDR (Call Detail Record) based Billing & Customer care system.

# Establishment of Customer Service Centers at all important locations in the country with “single window concept” to facilitate friendly interactions with the customers.

# Replacement of weak batteries and power plants to improve network uptime

# Regular Radio Frequency (RF) optimization tests.

In addition, Government has assigned the work of providing mobile connectivity in 2199 identified locations in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas through BSNL at an estimated cost of Rs. 3567.58 crores. Government has also approved a proposal to implement a Comprehensive Telecom Development Plan for North-Eastern Region to provide mobile coverage to 8621 identified uncovered villages, installation of 321 mobile tower sites along National Highways and strengthening of transmission network in North-Eastern states at a total cost of Rs. 5336.18 crores. Mobile coverage to balance uncovered villages is to be provided in a phased manner over five years.