The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Vijayawada News : You are in queue, please wait: BSNL

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 03, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada

You are in queue, please wait: BSNL

By P. Sujatha Varma

VIJAYAWADA, DEC. 2. A sudden rush for new BSNL phone connections across Krishna district seems to have caught the Telecom Department personnel off guard. The department has extended 23,000 additional connections this year and has a long list of fresh applications pending.

"Many people are coming back to BSNL. The sudden rise in demand has led to shortage of landline instruments which is being taken care of," admitted the General Manager, C.K Radhakrishnan, on Thursday.

Besides, hurdles in laying the cable in certain places like the Gunadala-Ayyappanagar section is also contributing to the delay in extension of new connections. "Telephone instruments have been ordered and we are likely to get them in a week," he explained adding that the Caller Line Identification (CLI)-based Internet account scheme drew good response. The scheme, introduced on November 1, would enable a subscriber to create his own Internet account on a permanent basis. Nearly 300 persons had already booked their connections and the department continued to get, on an average, 10 bookings everyday.

Plans for 2005

Referring to other constraints, Mr. Radhakrishnan said cable laying was not encouraged unless heavy work was needed to be done. "We have a vast network in the district and re-arrangement of pillars also causes a delay sometimes."

The BSNL had nearly 53,000 connections in Krishna district. The department intends to expand its network in a big way by enhancing the number of existing 42 towers to 100 by June, 2005. "We are also expecting 50,000 additional connections," he added.

While there were 2.2 lakh landline connections operating under the BSNL network presently, against 53,000 cellular connections (total 2.73 lakh connections), the department plans to increase them to 3 lakh connections by June 31, 2005.

Rural scenario

Speaking about BSNL operations in the rural sector, he said pockets of Machilipatnam, Gudivada, Kaikalur and Challapalli, would soon get Wireless in the Local Loop (WLL) facility. "We have already secured the equipment. It would prove advantageous to the common masses," Mr. Radhakrishnan said. Monthly rental package of Rs 140 for post-paid cellular phone connections was the latest addition in the list of special schemes introduced by the department. "It is a lower rental scheme and beneficial to those interested in only incoming calls," he added.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh

News Update

Stories in this Section

You are in queue, please wait: BSNL

Jamaat-e-Islami to take up campaign for human rights

Usher in New Year along the seaside

Tsundur case: second witness cross-examined

Relocated families stage hunger strike

Plea to make pre-marital HIV test mandatory

Around the City

In Vijayawada Today