Question : Poor Optical Fibre based Broadband Services

(a) the number of complaints related to optical fibre broadband service received every day in the National Capital Territory of Delhi and the number of days in which the said complaints are redressed;

(b) the optical fibre broadband speed given to the Members of Parliament and the number of complaints received with regard to poor speed of the said connections;

(c) whether the Government has taken note of the problems being faced continuously by the Members of Parliament regarding poor services/ operation of optical fibre broadband connection and if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto; and

(d) the steps being taken by the Government to make optical fibre facility accessible for common people and the cost which the Government proposes to reduce so as to make this facility accessible to all?

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

(a) In National Capital Territory of Delhi, the number of complaints related to optical fiber broadband service received is approximately 27 per day. The complaints are redressed within TRAI norms for broadband services, which is within 3 working days, subject to technical feasibility and permission from local authority.

(b) (i) In National Capital Territory of Delhi, MTNL is providing optical fibre broadband service to Hon’ble MPs. The optical fibre broadband speed provided to Hon’ble MPs is 100 Mbps speed upload/download upto 500 GB and 10 Mbps speed afterward w.e.f. 01.12.2018.The number of complaints booked for Hon’ble MPs w.e.f. 01- Jan-2018 to 15-Dec-2018 are 1330. However, as per record, complaints regarding poor speed is Nil.

(ii) BSNL is providing Broadband facilities to Hon’ble Members of Parliament (Lok Sabha & RajyaSabha), as per existing MSA Act of Parliament, uniformly for Pan India on copper of ADSL+ network. The Fibre Optical Broadband (FTTH) is being provided to Hon’ble MPs only, where broadband is not feasible on copper and is feasible on optical fibre. The speed of Optical Fibre Broadband (FTTH) provided to Hon’ble MPs is same as of Broadband over Copper, the details as below:

(1) Plan: BBMP ULD 1500, Speed: upto 10 Mbps till 140GB, upto 2 Mbps beyond 140 GB
(2) Plan: BBMP ULD 1000, Speed: upto 10 Mbps till 70 GB, upto 2Mbps beyond 140 GB

There is no complaint received with regard to poor speed of the optical fibre broadband connection given to the Hon’ble MPs.

(c) Not applicable in view of (b) above.

(d) Towards the step taken to make optical fibre facility accessible for common people, Government has been granting suitable licenses to various Telecom Service Providers / Internet Service Providers who are providing optical fibre broadband services along with other media (copper / wireless), based on feasibility in their area of operation, on competitive commercial terms.

Moreover, BharatNet project is being implemented in a phased manner to create a network to connect all the Gram Panchayats (approximately 2.5 lakh) by broadband in the country. This project is under implementation and the infrastructure created will be a national asset, accessible on a non-discriminatory basis to the Service Providers. As on 16.12.2018, a total of 1,16,543 GPs have been made Service Ready. BharatNet is the middle layer of communication network, with last mile connectivity to be provided by Service Providers and States. To trigger the ecosystem and promote BharatNet utilization, highly concessional Tariff for bandwidth and dark fibre for utilizing the network for service delivery has been formulated and applied. Utilisation of the network is being done by setting up Fibre to the Home (FTTH). Free FTTH has been provided to all the GPs, in addition around 15,000 FTTH connections have been taken by the States. TSPs/ISPs have also taken bandwidth for around 4,500 GPs. States are connecting State Wide Area Network (SWAN) with BharatNet.