Question : TELECOM NETWORK

(a) Whether the Department of Telecom Services (DTS) has been investing their surpluses in the telecom network in rural and urban areas for a quite long time;

(b) if so, the cumulative investment made till 1998-99;

(c) whether there has been a fall in the number of long distance calls causing loss of revenues since enforcement of the Telecommunications Tariff Order 1999;

(d) if so, the details thereof along with the loss of revenue noticed during each of the last three years;

(e) the present position with regard to the establishment of a Universal Service Fund;

(f) the number of village public telephones provided so far by private operators; and
(g) the steps proposed for achieving the aim of providing one telephone connection to every village in the targeted time?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS

(SHRI TAPAN SIKDAR)

(a) Yes, Sir.

(b) Rs.62,395.54 crores.

(c) & (d) The assumption made in TRAI`s Tariff Order of 1999 that there will be increase in the volume of traffic to compensate the operator for loss of revenue due to reduction in long distance rate has not come true. As a result, it is estimated that the Department of Telecom Services may suffer a revenue loss of nearly Rs.2000 crores in the year 1999-2000(accounts yet to be closed) as compared to the original Budget Estimate.

(e) The issue of setting up of Universal Service Fund is under examination.

(f) So far, only twelve(12) villages in Madhya Pradesh have been provided with VPTs by M/s Bharti Telenet Ltd.

(g) Department of Telecom Services is trying out New technologies such as WLL, C-DoT-TDMS/PMP etc. Target is to provide VPT in each uncovered village by March, 2002.