Question : BSNL-MTNL Broadband Internet Connection

(a) whether the Government is aware of the fact that the consumers of BSNL/MTNL broadband internet connection are reportedly shifting to private internet service providers on account of BSNL/MTNL allegedly providing erratic and slow internet speed;

(b) if so, the details thereof including the number of such consumers who have shifted to private internet service providers during each of the last three years and the current year along with the reaction of the Government thereto and the reasons therefor, and

(c) the corrective steps taken/being taken by the Government in this regard?

THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS &
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
(SHRI MANOJ SINHA)

(a) The speed of Broadband connections is provided as per tariff plans opted by the household customers. After the expiry of the fair usage limits, as per tariff plan opted the speed falls back to the level as defined in the plan. After fair usage plan (FUP) customer has an option to restore the pre-FUP speed by making additional payment. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has increased the FUP limit (speed) from 512 Kbps (Kilo-bytes per second) to 1 Mbps (Mega-bytes per second) from 01-08-2016 without any additional cost to customer to provide better speed experience to customer.
The speed mentioned in any tariff plan is the maximum speed that a customer can get. A customer may get lesser speed at some point of time depending upon following factors:
(i) speed of individual website being accessed,
(ii) processing speed of customer end device,
(iii) features of the broadband tariff plan chosen by the customer and
(iv) location of server across the globe hosting the respective web site being accessed by the customer.



(b) There is no mechanism in BSNL and MTNL to observe the number of Broadband customer shifted to private internet service providers.

(c) Following steps have been taken by BSNL and MTNL for improving and strengthening the wire line Broadband services in the country;

Steps taken byBSNL:
I. Augmentation of broadband speed up to 2Mbps for all the customers.
II. BSNL has increased the FUP limit (speed) from 512 Kbps to 1 Mbps from 01-08-2016 without any additional cost to customer.
III. Replacement of DNS (Domain Name System) server with high capacity and latest technology.
IV. Addition of one more Broadband POP (Point of Presence) at Chandigarh.
V. Deployment of Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) based Next Generation Packet Access Network (MNG-PAN) network in selected cities.
VI. Up-gradation of 1 G ring to 10 G rings (32 rings)
VII. Peering/Caching with content providers.

Steps taken by MTNL:
I. Augmentation of fibre network.
II. Implementation of Very-high-bit-rate Digital Subscriber Line (VDSL) Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer (DSLAM).
III. Bringing DSLAM near to subscriber location.
IV. High speed Wi-Fi network.
V. Existing broandband tariff plans are being modified or new plans are being launched as per subscriber demand and market competition to provide the better broadband services.
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