Home  »  Blog

Key Highlights of the National Broadband Penetration Program:

  • NBPP project in line with GOI’s objective of reaching 100 mn broadband subscribers by 2014
  • USOF under DOT offers subsidy to consumers to the extent of Rs. 4500 per connection.
  • HCL will set up two call centers; one for enquiry and the other for technical support (toll free nos)
  • BSNL is offering Broadband @512KBPS at high subsidized rate of Rs 99 and Rs 150 per month package

One of India’s largest telecom companies, BSNL, and HCL Infosystems, one of India’s premier information enabling ICT System Integration companies announced that they will be working together on the National Broadband Penetration Program (NBPP), a nationwide initiative to accelerate IT proliferation in rural India. The project aims to accelerate PC and broadband penetration by offering a complete solution and to create new markets in the interiors of the country.

 

The NBPP project, believed to be the largest government program to promote rural connectivity till date, aims to break through the affordability barrier. The project aims to power the next million PC+ Broadband connections in untapped market space through the Universal Services Obligation Fund (USOF) under DOT which has granted a subsidy to BSNL for providing wire line broadband connectivity in rural and remote areas. USOF will be providing a subsidy of Rs. 4500/- per broadband connection that BSNL will be rolling out through their existing 27,789 rural and remote telephone exchanges.

 

“Today, the need to create a progressive environment of growth is more than ever before. Indian economy, in the past few years, has grown but the growth can be accelerated and made more inclusive by providing an impetus to PC & Broadband penetration in rural India. This project for BSNL is in line with our strategy for mass adoption of PC + Broadband to promote India’s GDP growth” said Mr. Ajai Chowdhry, Chairman & CEO, HCL Infosystems Ltd.

 

With this ambitious program, HCL and BSNL aim to address the significant untapped demand in rural markets by providing a complete solution to the customer This solution will be available to customer at a nominal payment of Rs. 2,250/- followed by Rs. 300/- per month for the PC and subsidized broadband package at Rs.99/- or Rs.150/- per month.

 

This program is seen as an initiative from Government of India and USOF to support inclusive growth. Different countries across the globe have adopted this model of partnering with IT companies to infuse PC-Broadband growth for national development. As India is poised for growth, this program will significantly contribute in ensuring sustained economic growth. There is a direct and favourable correlation to the number of Personal Computers (PCs) per inhabitant to the per capita GDP of the country. A study shows that for country like China, the per capita GDP is expected to increase from $ 8,000 to $ 18,000 as PC penetration increases from 5% to 24% from 2005 to 2015. Countries like Korea, Singapore and Sweden attribute their inclusive economic growth over the past decade greatly to the increased PC & broadband penetration.

 

“This is indeed the one of the major initiatives to bridge the digital divide by offering PC + Broadband at a subsidized rates to our customers. We are delighted to partner with HCL Infosystems for this nation wide program. The missing pie in PC and broadband proliferation was the affordability and service which are now being provided jointly by us and HCL, with support from USOF to increase desirability.” said Mr. Kuldeep Goyal, CMD, BSNL.

 

Complementing BSNLs need for a partner with extensive rural reach, experience and servicing ability, HCL Infosystems continues to lay more emphasis on creating appropriate programs and solutions for the Indian rural markets. Committed to bridge the ‘Digital Divide’ in the country HCL has been one of the pioneers in India to create special ICT products and solutions for the rural markets. Over the years, HCL has innovated and developed various products and solutions to address the rural market in India including rural PCs that work on car batteries, special products for milk co-operatives in rural India, packages for education and literacy in rural India, the development of special software and hardware products for addressing financial inclusion of persons who currently do not use the banking system in rural India, programs for panchayat computerisation and support for community service centres through government schemes and the ITC e-Chaupal program.

 

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Ajay Bhattacharya, USOF (Administrator) commented that the steps taken by BSNL are in the right direction of digitalizing India with a special emphasis on rural India. USOF desires that more such partnerships should be developed in future so that benefits of broadband should reach every citizen of the country.

 

Providing strength to NBPP program will be HCL’s innovative service & support initiative, ‘HCL TOUCH’, which is delivered through one of India’s largest IT service and support networks. HCL Touch has a network that reaches out to over 4,000 towns and delivers services in 11 regional languages. The ‘HCL Touch’ network consists of 14 remote support centers, 505 service offices, 390 ware houses and 150 repair centers, all of which are company owned.

 

Mr. Rajesh Wadhwa, who heads Fixed Access Business in BSNL expressed his happiness on the programme. He stressed that field staff must come up to the expectation of the overall objective of the project. He told that this initiative will prove to be a major mile stone in taking country to next level of civilization.

 

Speaking on the occasion, Intel South Asia’s Managing Director of the Sales and Marketing Group, R. Sivakumarsaid, “Intel has been committed to delivering the technology needed to connect Indians to the Internet and enabling them to leverage its unlimited potential. Affordable access to information via broadband internet is the key for India’s competitiveness in today’s global economy. The National Broadband Penetration Program is an excellent step forward and brings access of 21st century learning skills and IT business tools and opportunities to our population base. Intel is pleased to partner with HCL and BSNL on the National Broadband Penetration Program that aims to accelerate PC and broadband penetration.”

 

About HCL:
HCL is a US $ 5 billion leading global Technology and IT Enterprise that comprises two companies listed in India – HCL Technologies & HCL Infosystems. Founded in 1976, HCL is one of India’s original IT garage start-ups, a pioneer of modern computing, and a global transformational enterprise today. Its range of offerings spans Product Engineering, Custom & Package Applications, BPO, IT Infrastructure Services, IT Hardware, Systems Integration, and distribution of ICT products across a wide range of focused industry verticals. The HCL team comprises over 60,000 professionals of diverse nationalities, who operate from 23 countries including over 500 points of presence in India. HCL has global partnerships with several leading Fortune 1000 firms, including leading IT and Technology firms.
For more information please visit us at www.hcl.in

 

About HCL Infosystems Ltd.
HCL Infosystems Ltd, with revenue (LTM) of US $ 2.6 billion (Rs. 12,378 crores) in financial year 2009 is one of India’s premier information enabling and ICT System Integration companies offering a wide spectrum of ICT products that includes Computing, Storage, Networking, Security, Telecom, Imaging and Retail. HCL Infosystems Ltd aims to be a one-stop-shop for all the ICT requirements of an organization. One of India’s leading System Integration and Infrastructure management services organizations, HCL Infosystems Ltd has specialized expertise across verticals including Telecom, BFSI, E-Governance and Power. HCL Infosystems Ltd has one of India’s largest distribution and retail networks for ICT products, taking to market a range of Digital Lifestyle products in partnership with leading global ICT brands, including Apple, Cisco, Ericsson, Kingston, Kodak, Konica Minolta, Microsoft, Nokia and Toshiba. HCL Infosystems Ltd today has one of India’s largest vertically integrated computer manufacturing facilities; with over three decades of electronic manufacturing experience, and HCL desktops are among the largest selling brands in the business enterprise space. With one of India’s largest ICT services networks that reaches most regions in India, HCL’s award winning support services make it a preferred choice of enterprise and consumers alike.

 

For more information please visit us at www.hclinfosystems.in

 

About BSNL
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (A Government of India Enterprise) formed in October, 2000, is providing comprehensive range of telecom services in India: Wirelines, CDMA mobile, GSM Mobile, Internet, Broadband, Carrier service, MPLS-VPN, VSAT, VoIP services, IN Services etc. Within a span of eight years it has become one of the largest public sector units in India. Creating a paradigm shift in the digital communications, BSNL has recently launched 3G services in 155 cities which are expected to soon be expandable to 700 cities across the country.

 

BSNL is committed to take India into the next league of telecom supremacy by providing technological advance services to its discerning customers at an affordable cost. In the emerging digital communications landscape, BSNL is optimizing its Quality Telecom Network for Converging technologies to provide faster and easier access to information and multiple services. The company is presently expanding its 2G network with an additional 34 million lines, out of which, more than 11 million lines are already commissioned.

 

The 3G services will bring high quality voice services along with high speed data and video services. The data speed is expected to go upto 2 Mbps or higher. Applications like, video telephony, mobile, broadband, mobile television and video on demand shall be offered to the consumer with immediate effect. It is expected that services like music downloads, video tones, instant messaging, on line gaming, bill payment, etc., will be offered shortly.

 

BSNL is perhaps the only telecom service provider making focused efforts and planned initiatives to bridge the Rural-Urban Digital Divide ICT sector. It has a wide network which operates across India except Delhi and Mumbai.

 

BSNL is India’s leading operator in all services in its license area. The company offers wide ranging & most transparent tariff schemes designed to suit every customer.
The company has vast experience in Planning, Installation, network integration and Maintenance of Switching & Transmission Networks and also has a world class ISO 9000 certified Telecom Training Institute.

 

BSNL’s technological prowess, its nationwide coverage, reach, comprehensive range of telecom services and the desire to excel has made it a leading telecom company in India.

 

About Intel
Intel (NASDAQ: INTC), the world leader in silicon innovation, develops technologies, products and initiatives to continually advance how people work and live. In August 2008, Intel facilitated a collaborative movement called ‘Connected Indian’, where government, industry associations and private enterprise came together for the common cause of connecting a billion Indians. More information can be found at www.connectedindians.com. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom and blogs.intel.com.

WordPress Video Lightbox Plugin