Access Networks in rural areas

To enhance the broadband penetration in rural areas, the Department of Telecomnications (DoT) has been asked to make concrete efforts to establish access networks using appropriate and latest technologies.

Access network is a wireless or wireline network that provides a direct connectivity to a corporate building ao for a end user's home from the service provider's system. It provides a direct link to any part of the country through the backbone network of the operator.

A sub-group headed by Rajiv Ratan Shah, member secretary, Planning Commission, has said in meeting with senior DoT officials that the major reason behind non-availability of voice, Internet and broadband based services in rural areas is the complete absence of access networks in the areas. The sub-group has also asked DoT to deploy latest technologies like High bit rate digital subscriber line(HDSL), Asymetric digital subscriber line(ADSL) and Worldwide interoperatability for microwave access(WiMAX). It has also been asked by the group to co-ordinate and submit schedule at the earliest.
It was also obeserved by the group that BSNL most fvourably palced with 25,000 rural exchanges(point-of-persence PoP) with optical fiber connectivity. The sub-group has suggested that these PoPs could be used for spreading wireless bandwidth to connect villages.