BSNL may miss broadband target sans content services  ( June '22,2005, FE)

The country’s largest telecom operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) has realised that vanila broadband internet connection will not help the operator achieve its target of one million broadband customer base by the current year-end and two million by end- 2006.

With the government’s threat to unbundle the last mile copper wire if BSNL fails to garner sizeable number of broadband subscribers, the future of BSNL’s telecom business largely depends on broadband. Senior BSNL officials at its headquarters are in a hurry to put in place its content management services over the broadband network.

BSNL has planned to launch its content services in two months, which will include IPTV, gaming and video on demand. For this, BSNL is lining-up alliance with various regional consortium for content supply as well as global software firms like Microsoft for running IPTV services.

In recent meetings where senior officials participated, the operator has decided to form a two-pronged approach. First the operator will start content services at the regional level with the help of local players, who would manage and deliver the content using BSNL network.

Later within six-months time, BSNL will have its own software and hardware to transmit the content using its network to access customer’s equipment - PC or a TV. “But we would never develop or manage the content. It would be the third party’s job. We are looking for an extremely aggressive pricing for services which would include, among othes internet and cable channels, said a senior BSNL official responsible for broadband business.

“Broadband service would be one of our principal instruments to hold on to our existing 36.5 million fixed line customers. The only way to do this is to offer a wide bouquet of entertainment content, which our customers would be able to access either through a TV set or a PC.” BSNL on an average is providing around 800 broadband connections every day, which senior officials feel will not help them to reach the planned target.