(a) the percentage of telecommunication network coverage, district-wise; and
(b) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to increase the same?
(a) the percentage of telecommunication network coverage, district-wise; and
(b) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to increase the same?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS,
HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND
ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI SANJAY DHOTRE)
(a) As per the information provided by service providers, district-wise telecommunication network coverage in the Tamil Nadu service area is as follows:
<pre>
S.No. District Name Population coverage (in %)
1 Ariyalur 100.00
2 Chennai 100.00
3 Coimbatore 100.00
4 Cuddalore 99.86
5 Dharmapuri 99.61
6 Dindigul 99.22
7 Erode 98.62
8 Kancheepuram (including Chengalpet) 99.75
9 Kanyakumari 99.82
10 Karur 100.00
11 Krishnagiri 96.27
12 Madurai 99.98
13 Nagapattinam 100.00
14 Namakkal 99.06
15 Perambalur 99.99
16 Pudukkottai 99.45
17 Ramanathapuram 97.21
18 Salem 99.16
19 Sivagangai 100.00
20 Thanjavur 100.00
21 The Nilgiris 99.26
22 Theni 98.74
23 Thiruvallur 99.97
24 Thiruvarur 100.00
25 Tuticorin 97.96
26 Tiruchirappalli 99.64
27 Tirunelveli (including Tenkasi) 100.00
28 Tiruppur 99.88
29 Thiruvannamalai 98.97
30 Vellore (including Ranipet & Tirupattur) 99.36
31 Viluppuram (including Kallakurichi) 98.81
32 Virudhunagar 99.99
</pre>
(b) In order to facilitate expansion of telecommunication services, the Department of Telecommunications has initiated a series of policy initiatives and development programs as below:
(i) making available sufficient spectrum for mobile services including auction of 965 MHz across different bands (700, 800, 900, 1800, 2100, 2300 and 2500 MHz bands) in 2016.
(ii) allowing spectrum sharing, trading and liberalisation of administratively allocated spectrum as per guidelines.
(iii) permitting sharing of active as well as passive infrastructure by the TSPs for achieving higher utilisation efficiency.
(iv) permitting Internet Protocol (IP) based interconnections between TSPs in addition to the prevailing arrangements.
(v) notification of Indian Telegraph Right of Way Rules, 2016 dated 15.11.2016 for regulating underground infrastructure (optical fibre) and over-ground infrastructure (mobile towers).
(vi) periodic review of expansion of mobile networks and related improvements carried out by TSPs.
**********