(a) whether huge rise in the use of mobile telephones has overtaken the number of fixed phones;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether people subscribing the mobile phones have to pay a higher cost to buy handset and charges per minute for calls made from mobile phones are costlier; and
(d) if so, the difference of cost between subscribing to a fixed phone and mobile phone at the initial stage and the exact difference between the per call minute charges of a fixed phone and mobile phone?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (DR. SHAKEEL AHMAD)
(a) & (b) Yes, Sir. The number of mobile phones were 129.80 lakh as on 31st March, 2003 against 416.30 lakh fixed phones. However, the mobile phones have overtaken the fixed phones which have increased to 508.06 lakh as against 463.35 lakh fixed phones, as on 28.2.2005.
(c) & (d) Yes, Sir. However, the subscription cost and per call charges for fixed phones and for cellular phones vary from operator to operator under different schemes offered by them.