BSNL to set up Wi-Max Tower in city

BSNL to set up Wi-Max Tower in city

The Hindu

It is likely to come up at Jayanagar

# Bangalore still leads the country in terms of DataOne broadband connection
# Number of BSNL mobile users has crossed 14 lakh in State

Bangalore: Karnataka's capital will be among the five cities where BSNL will have a Wi-Max Tower on a pilot basis to provide wireless Internet access up to a range of 20 km.

The facility is to come up with technology from overseas, S. Ramalingam, Principal General Manager, Bangalore Telecom District, told presspersons on Friday. The tower is likely to come up at Jayanagar.

The city currently has nine "hot spots" with WiFi Internet access and 36 more are to come up within a few months, he said. At these places people can access the Internet without a cable, within a building or on different floors in a building. Bangalore still leads the country in terms of DataOne broadband connection with over one lakh provided so far.

Speaking to the media on the occasion of BSNL's sixth anniversary, Mr. Ramalingam said an immediate plan was to provide Motorola and Nokia handsets, in the Rs. 1,600 to Rs. 3,000 price range along with SIM cards. The Starter Pack under prepaid service would now cost Rs. 112, down from Rs. 224, with talk value of Rs. 30.

The "full talk time" festive offer for mobile users had been extended up to October 31 and coupons of Rs. 1,000, for example, would provide talk time equal to that amount. Those opting for recharge coupons of Rs. 2,000 and Rs. 3,000 actually got 25 per cent extra talk value.

Unlimited free "cell-to-cell" calls anywhere within the country, reduced call rates to any two specific frequently called numbers and a special SMS offer for students are the other schemes BSNL has come up with. Students can go for Rs. 112 starter pack which can be used within 14 days with free SMS locally or Re. 1 per message anywhere in the country and Rs. 3 for messages sent overseas.

Mobile connectivity within the city and in the suburbs is expected to considerably improve with 103 more base towers to come up before March; there are 431 towers in the region now. Across the State, the number of BSNL mobile users has crossed the 14-lakh mark.