REPORT: India must lower cost of infrastructure: Pitroda

India needs 250 million phones in villages to increase connectivity, said

World Tel chairman Dr Sam Pitroda. According to him, the country would be able

to achieve this growth from the present level of 80 million phones only if it

manages to create proper environment for the telecom sector growth. He was

speaking at a workshop in New Delhi on Mission 2007-"Every village a

knowledge center-a road map".

At a time when there is sporadic activity in the telecom sector, Pitroda said

that we need to translate activity at the village level and affordability will

play a key role. According to him, while the cost of laying one line has

considerably come down from $1,100 during initial days, the country needs to

bring it down to Rs 150-Rs 200 level if it wants to achieve the 250-million

goal.

Talking about the broadband access, Pitroda said that it was one of the most

important factors in the overall access game. "If broadband comes to

villages, cities could be connected to the villages easily. Basic problems of

villages on the education and employment front could be solved through this

broadband network. Medical applications could provide an opportunity for doctors

to remotely monitor patients in rural parts while sitting in metros. We would

need to think locally and develop local content and applications for this to be

a reality," he stressed.

Talking about the huge gap between the Western world and India, Pitroda

explained that India couldn't afford to replicate things, which are relevant

in the US and other advanced countries. "Our paradigm is very different

from that of the west and we have to force innovations within the country on

areas like — IT in sanitation, water and education. We have to be clear on

what is deliverable and affordable. India has a different economic

pattern," he added.

Speaking on the occasion, TRAI chairman Pradip Baijal said that wireless

technologies need to be leveraged to there fullest so that that spectrum can be

delicensed. "Today in India we live in the past, still holding on to

spectrum that is internationally open. Thus while the other countries are

continuing to move ahead with rural and urban development through wireless

because of no licensing constraints, we haven't moved ahead," he

explained.

Dwelling upon the fact that the addressable market of mobiles was around 120

million, Baijal said that India has reached such a low figure because the

operators haven't gone to the interiors and villages. "They are waiting

perhaps for USO support. If we increase our efforts in the rural areas then we

will reach an addressable population of 750 million by 2006 and dream number of

100 million would then be realized with a large proportion coming from rural

areas," he explained.

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