Question : LANDLINE AND CELLULAR CONNECTIONS



(a) The total number of landline and Cellular connections both in rural and urban areas at the end of 2003 and 2004;

(b) Whether any target has been fixed to increase the tele density; and

(c) if so, the details thereof?

Answer given by the minister


THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (DR. SHAKEEL AHMAD)

(a) Details of the land line and cellular connections are as under:-

Year Land line+	Cellular(PSUs+	Land line +	Total	WLL(In lakhs)	Pvt.)(Inlakhs)	Cellular(In lakhs)	(In lakhs)	Urban	Rural	Urban Rural	Urban Rural 

March, 305.23 114.07 126.87 0 432.10 114.0 546.17 03

March, 381.13 122.72 261.55 0 642.68 122.7 765.40 04
(b) Yes, Sir. As per the NTP-1999, a tele-density target of 7% was fixed to be achieved by 2005 and 15% by 2010.

(c) BSNL has planned to provide 1 crore telephone connections in the year 2004-2005. This includes 7.5 lakhs landlines, 22.5 lakhs WLL connections and 70 lakhs Cellular Mobile connections & MTNL has fixed target of 5 lakhs telephones. In addition, the Private Operators are also providing telephones at an increasing pace. As a result, the tele-density increased from 5.11% in March, 2003 to

702% in March, 2004, and thus the target fixed for 2005 has been achieved much in advance.