Question : EXPANSION OF CELLULAR PHONE NETWORK

(a) whether the Govenrment has launched any scheme for the expansion of cellular phone network in hilly and remote areas with the financial assistance from Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF);

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) the number of towers set up in Karnataka as on 31 December, 2010;

(d) whether the Government has provided subsidy to Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and other service providers for setting up of towers; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and the details of amount given to each service provider for the said scheme in Karnataka as on 31 December, 2010?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI SACHIN PILOT)

(a) & (b) Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) has launched a scheme in 2007 to provide financial support for setting up and managing 7363 number of infrastructure sites/towers (revised from 7871) in 500 districts spread over 27 States for provision of mobile services in the specified rural including hilly and remote areas, where there was no existing fixed wireless or mobile coverage. Villages or cluster of villages having population of 2000 or more and not having mobile coverage were taken into consideration for installation of the tower under this scheme. As on 31.01.2011, 7251 towers i.e. about 98.48% have been set up under this scheme. The infrastructure so created is being shared by three service providers for provision of mobile services. As on 31.12.2010, 13866 BTSs (Base Transceiver Stations) have been commissioned by Service Providers.

(c) As on 31 December 2010, 381 number of towers have been set up in Karnataka.

(d) USOF has provided subsidy to Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and other infrastructure providers/ service providers for setting up of towers.

(e) The service provider wise disbursement across different financial years as on 31.12.2010 for the whole country is given in Annexure-I. The service provider wise disbursement across different financial years as on 31.12.2010 for Karnataka is given in Annexure-II.