Lok Sabha Question No. 2462 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-30
Subject: Internet Facility and Speed
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: PONGULETI SRINIVASA REDDY, KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2462 TO BE ANSWERED ON 30 TH  NOVEMBER, 2016

## INTERNET FACILITY AND SPEED

2462.   SHRI PONGULETI SRINIVASA REDDY:

SHRI KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether there is revolutionary change in internet usage in the country but despite of advent of 4G technology, there is not much change in data speed and India's data speed is merely 2.5 mb per second against world's average of 5.6 mbps;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the measures taken/proposed to be taken to increase the internet speed;
- (c) the  other  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  bring  about  improvement  in  services  of telecommunication sector and broadband speed;
- (d) whether the Government has received proposals for providing free internet services in rural and remote areas; and
- (e) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  if  not,  the  action  taken  by  the  Government  to  provide  cheap internet services along with online facilities without internet connection for basic services like health?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (c) The number of internet connections in the country has increased from 164.81 Million as on 31 st March, 2013 to 350.48 Million at the end of June' 2016.

Further, as per Akamai's Q2, 2016 report on 'The State of Internet', global average internet connection  speed  has  increased  to  6.1  Mbps  and  India's  average  internet  connection  speed  has increased to 3.6 Mbps. Also, India has a global rank of 113 in terms of average connection speed.

National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) project, renamed as BharatNet, is planned to establish a network infrastructure by connecting all Gram Panchayats (approx. 2.5 lakh) in the country through Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) by using an optimal mix of underground fibre, fibre over power lines, radio and  satellite  media,  for  providing  broadband  connectivity  by  all  categories  of  service  providers  on non-discriminatory basis. With the implementation of BharatNet project, which is one of the pillars of Digital India, non-discriminatory access to all categories of service providers including internet service providers  will  be  available  at  Gram  Panchayats  with  no  investment  to  lay  the  optical  fibre infrastructure. Under this project, 1,69,967 Kms pipe & 1,45,693 Kms optical fibre cable has been laid and connectivity has been provided in 14009 gram panchayats upto 20.11.2016.

Further, increased spectrum by 965 MHz in recent auction is expected to result into increased data speed. Also, the internet speed is expected to progressively improve with the increased roll-out of 4G services by various telecom service providers in the country.

- (d) Government has not received any proposals for providing free internet services in rural and remote areas.
- (e) It  is  expected that implementation of BharatNet Project will promote internet and broadband usage in rural and remote areas at affordable rates, providing access to online facilities.

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