The Hindu : National : Communication link restored

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Sunday, Jan 02, 2005

National

National

Communication link restored

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JAN. 1. While the communication link has been restored at Campbell Bay and Car Nicobar following the commissioning of INMARSAT and telephone exchange, the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Dayanidhi Maran, today reviewed the progress in restoring communication facilities on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Even as the entire operation of restoring communication facilities on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is being supervised by a team of two senior officers of the Department of Telecom, specially sent from Delhi, the Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology, Shakeel Ahmad, who reached Port Blair yesterday afternoon to oversee the relief and restoration work, visited the affected areas. He also directed the officials to make all-out efforts to restore the telephone exchanges and satellite communications in the tsunami-affected areas of the island.

The Ministry claimed that satellite telephones had been commissioned at Campbell Bay and Car Nicobar with the installation of INMARSAT terminals by a team of engineers deputed by Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited. The satellite phones are now available to the public for making calls.

In addition, a new telephone exchange of 256 lines (CDOT 256 Port) has been commissioned at Campbell Bay and is working with the telephone network of Andaman and Nicobar. One MCPC (Multiple Channel Per Carrier) equipment shipped to Car Nicobar yesterday is being installed. One VSAT has been airlifted today to Car Nicobar Island with engineers. Three teams with seven INMARSAT terminals have already left for Kamrota, Katchal, Terassa and Champin islands. Another separate team with INMARSAT terminals has left for Hutbay Island. It will commission additional satellite phone services by tomorrow.

Efforts are on to provide PCOs in Bambooflat using Port Blair WLL systems' coverage. The Bambooflat telephone exchange was destroyed by the tidal waves. More than 200 additional circuits have been commissioned from Port Blair to Chennai and Kolkata to reduce congestion in the Port Blair exchange. Four power plants (25A), six engine alternators and 10 battery sets are being airlifted to Port Blair in addition to eight power plants (25A) already sent to Port Blair yesterday.

Seven numbers of CDOT 256 port switches, two numbers of power plants and five numbers of INMARSAT terminals have been airlifted to Port Blair. In addition, three more 256 port exchanges with MDF (Main Distribution Frame) and 14 optimux (optical fibre equipment) are being airlifted to Port Blair for installation in the affected areas.

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