BSNL launches its wireless broadband service in Goa

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) today announced the full scale commercial launch of its wireless broadband service in Goa.

The company, which is India's state-owned and largest telecommunication provider, targets to cover 10,000 customers in Goa in the first phase.

"We have partnered with US-based Soma Networks Inc for supply of vital equipment required to provide seamless broadband service to the customers, Chandra Prakash, chief general manager, Maharashtra-Goa Telecom Circle, said here.

He said that the BSNL has inked an agreement with Soma Networks for such a facility in Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat. The goal is to deliver affordable and high quality service to enterprise and urban customers and also provide access to low cost education and healthcare services through e-governance, Prakash added.

The company has currently installed 25 towers, which will provide signals to the service. With the customers like Sesa Goa already on their list, the BSNL expects whoopping response for this service, which according to them, will change the speed in which people browse.

He said that in the next three years, the BSNL intends to cover 100 million people in Maharashtra and Goa through this service. 

"What mobile has done to landlines is what this service will do to regular internet connections," Senior vice- president (Customer Services), Soma Networks, Sudhir Kadam told reporters.

Kadam said that broadband is a national priority for India as it has a potential to drive economic growth and enable large scale socio economic transformation.

Wireless is the key to broadband growth in India and Soma's solution delivers high-speed DSL quality over wireless.

"Our operating partnership with BSNL has helped to integrate this technology with BSNL's world class fibre backbone network to rollout robust wireless broadband service in Goa," he added.