Lok Sabha Question No. 5227 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-24
Subject: BSNL Network in Assam
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Naba (Hira) Kumar Sarania

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5227 TO BE ANSWERED ON 24 TH   JULY, 2019

## BSNL NETWORK IN ASSAM

## †5227. SHRI NABA KUMAR SARANIA:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the BSNL networks in Assam is very poor, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor along with the steps taken by the Government in this regard;
- (b) whether  the  mobile  network  connectivity  at  India,  Bhutan  and  Bangladesh  border  remains  poor thereby compelling the people residing there to use the network available in the neighbouring countries and if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government in this regard;
- (c) whether  tourists  visiting  Manas  National  Park  face  difficulty  in  terms  of  mobile  and  landline connectivity, if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government in this regard; and
- (d) the names of places in Assam where new mobile tower is proposed to be set up by the Government and the details of the plans to increase the internet speed in the said region?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS, LAW & JUSTICE AND ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

(a) & (b) Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) monitors the performance of telecom service providers  including  Bharat  Sanchar  Nigam  Limited  (BSNL)  against  the  benchmark  for  various  Quality  of Service (QoS) parameters laid down by TRAI by way of QoS regulations issued from time to time, through Quarterly Performance Monitoring Reports (PMRs).

As per PMR issued by TRAI for the quarter ending March 2019, BSNL is meeting all the benchmarks for Basic (Wireline) and Broadband Services throughout the country including Assam.  For Cellular Mobile Telephone Service, BSNL is meeting the benchmark for all the parameters in all of its Licensed Service Areas (LSAs) including Assam except for the parameter of call drops in West Bengal Service area only.

- (c) BSNL has reported that  its  mobile  network  is  available  in  the  area  of  Manas  National  Park  where Government offices, hotels and resorts are situated.  However, the network is poor inside the forest area.  At present there is no basic wireline (landline) service available as it is not commercially viable.
- (d) Department of Telecommunications is working on Comprehensive Telecom Development Plan for the North-Eastern  Region  including  Assam  State  for  provision  of  mobile  services  and  internet  in  uncovered villages.  The  details  are  at  Annexure.  BharatNet  project  is  also  being  implemented  in  a  phased  manner  to provide broadband connectivity to all 2648 Gram Panchayats of Assam State.  As on 04.07.2019, by laying 4815 km Optical Fibre Cable (OFC), a total of 1622 GPs in Assam have been connected and have been made Service Ready.

As  part  of  this  project,  the  last  mile  connectivity,  through  Wi-Fi  or  any  other  suitable  broadband technology,  is being  provided  at  all the GPs  in  the country  including  Assam.  Further,  the  Digital Communications Commission (DCC) on 13.06.2019 has approved to award the work of provisioning of 2 WiFi Access Points (APs) in each of the remaining GPs of BharatNet Phase-I in all the States including Assam. Further, 955 Fiber to the Home (FTTH) connections have also been provided in Assam.

Annexure  referred  to  in  Part  (d)  of  the  Lok  Sabha  Unstarred  Question  No.5227  for  Answer  on 24.07.2019.

| No. of uncovered villages to be covered in Assam   | No. of uncovered villages to be covered in Assam   | No. of uncovered villages to be covered in Assam   |
|----------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|
| S.No.                                              | District                                           | No. of Uncovered Villages                          |
| 1                                                  | Dima Hasao                                         | 375                                                |
| 2                                                  | Karvi Anglong                                      | 939                                                |
| 3                                                  | Baksa                                              | 24                                                 |
| 4                                                  | Barpeta                                            | 25                                                 |
| 5                                                  | Bongaigaon                                         | 20                                                 |
| 6                                                  | Cachar                                             | 61                                                 |
| 7                                                  | Chirang                                            | 45                                                 |
| 8                                                  | Darrang                                            | 33                                                 |
| 9                                                  | Demaji                                             | 149                                                |
| 10                                                 | Dhubri                                             | 49                                                 |
| 11                                                 | Dibrugarh                                          | 17                                                 |
| 12                                                 | Goal Para                                          | 44                                                 |
| 13                                                 | Golaghat                                           | 72                                                 |
| 14                                                 | Hailakandi                                         | 23                                                 |
| 15                                                 | Jorahat                                            | 40                                                 |
| 16                                                 | Kamrup                                             | 101                                                |
| 17                                                 | Kamrup Metro Politan                               | 9                                                  |
| 18                                                 | Karimganj                                          | 28                                                 |
| 19                                                 | Kokrajhar                                          | 111                                                |
| 20                                                 | Lakhimpur                                          | 84                                                 |
| 21                                                 | Morigaon                                           | 28                                                 |
| 22                                                 | Nagaon                                             | 19                                                 |
| 23                                                 | Nalbari                                            | 33                                                 |
| 24                                                 | Shivsagar                                          | 4                                                  |
| 25                                                 | Sonitpur                                           | 63                                                 |
| 26                                                 | Tinsukiya                                          | 67                                                 |
| 27                                                 | Udalguri                                           | 40                                                 |
|                                                    | Total                                              | 2503                                               |

************