WorldTel: Synergy For An Internet Infrastructure

Reaching internet to the masses, is a well-known concept now. WorldTel India Holding Ltd

(WTIHL)has set this as its mission and is working to achieve it by partnering with state governments. The UK-based

WorldTel, the parent company of WTIHL, is an independent, privately funded

commercial corporation, initiated by the International Telecommunications Union to organize large

telecommunications infrastructure projects in developing countries. The main objective is to work in partnership with the governments of developing countries, local private companies, international equipment suppliers and operators. This is important to identify, structure, fund and manage major telecommunications projects for the benefit of the people and economies of those countries. 

In keeping with this objective, WorldTel signed its first internet project with the government of Tamil Nadu in July 1999. This project is a JV in which WorldTel and Reliance have an equity of 37% and the government of Tamil Nadu an equity of 26%. It aims at setting up a fiber optic backbone across the state covering a distance of 2,400 km. This will support multipurpose community internet centers that will act as a one-stop-center for STD, ISD, PCO, internet access and DTP. It is being worked out at an estimated cost of Rs352 crore and is expected to take off by 2001. 

WorldTel has also tied up with six other states–Gujarat, Andhra

Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra and West Bengal, for similar projects. All these projects are expected to be implemented by 2001. It is expected that WorldTel will sign MoUs with other state governments to extend and expand its internet services across the country. These projects will make bandwidth available to users, including 80% consumption by corporates and the remaining by state governments. The company is to form consortiums with other state governments to cover the entire country with a fiber optic back bone. 

Following this, WorldTel will focus on developing local content in the local languages of the respective states and on offering value-added services such egovernance, ecommerce, and ebanking. With this, WorldTel expects to be an ace internet service provider offering bulk internet bandwidth and other internet services to governments, local ISPs, telcos and community internet centers.