HEADLINES
JOBS
COM:PORT
POLICY POLICE
ARCHIVES

Gokak calls for new deals with private telephony firms

Such a mechanism, however, might lead to a legal tangle as operators, who prefer a licence fees-based regimen, might protest, he said.

T O D A Y

• Bloodbath in India • Backbone tender • Gokak goes easy • NASSCOM to buy 3SE

Gokak pointed out that services like the callback facility, encouraged by foreign operators, are creating an imbalance in the pattern of traffic.

Gokak said the present system of accounting has to be rationalised as it has some aberrations. But it has ensured flow of foreign exchange from developed to developing countries.

He denied that the commission had overlooked indigenous technology to favour multinationals, especially in rural areas.

The C-DOT technology is suitable for conditions in India and Afro-Asian countries. Moreover, it is cost effective. Hence, the government has reserved all exchanges with a capacity of 10,000 lines for C-DOT, he added.

Gokak, who has just returned from a SAARC Communications Ministers Conference in Colombo, said C-DOT has come up with an exchange of larger lines (40,000). But no decision has been taken to reserve those lines for C-DOT too.

He said the Department of Telecommunications is waiting to integrate the Wireless Local Loop technology developed by IIT, Madras, with C-DOT technologies.

Gokak said the question of allowing interconnectivity for long distance would be taken up as part of overall review of telecom policy next year.

"We will prepare a comprehensive report and submit it to the union government," he added.

He said DoT has the resources to implement the concept of 'national information highway' at a cost of Rs 7-8 billion. It would benefit private Internet service providers, he added.

UNI

Tell us what you think of this story