C Shivakumar
Chennai:
Chennai Telephones is planning to expand its footprint in 3G Network
in the city and plans to add one lakh new customers in its
subscription list by the end of the financial year.
The BSNL circle, headed by chief general manager S M Kalavathi, is
already planning to add around 600 new Base trans receiver stations
(BTS), including 250 new 3G BTS by the moth of November.
The first woman chief general manager of Chennai Telephones, Kalavathi
says that the expansion of 3G network up till Chengalpet, Thiruvallur,
Kancheepuram and Tirutanni would be a game changer as it would reach
out to peripheral areas.
“We had lot of complaints from people over the quality of 3G network
in far flung areas. With the commissioning of these new towers our
reach would be enhanced and customers can enjoy quality service” said
Kalavathi, who has a vision to revive the hegemony of BSNL in Chennai.
Highlighting the role played by BSNL in the telecom sector, she said
had it not been for the public sector unit, the mobile telephony
wouldn’t have been affordable for common man.
Ruing the fact that BSNL entered into mobile telephony much later than
the private players, she said that it was only in 2002 that Chennai
Telephones started the mobile services. “There was not much expansion
since then. Had it been there then BSNL would now have a sizeable
customer base,” she said.
Interestingly, Kalavathi is now working towards realising the
ambitious plan of achieving the 27 per cent increase in revenue in the
Chennai Circle this financial year. “This is a tough task but then I
and my team is working towards it. I am confident that this year we
would be making good profits,” she said.
Interestingly, Kalavathi is also banking on the Next Generation
Network for fixed lines to increase its coffers. The landline
exchanges in Selaiyur, Tambaram, K K Nagar, Chrompet, Medavakkam,
Rajakeelpakkam and Kelambakkam has been upgraded to IP based NGN. She
said that NGN is the state of the art new telephone technology that
handles multiple types of traffic (such as Voice, Data and
Multimedia).
“After our landline exchanges have been upgraded to NGN, nearly 20,000
landline customers got themselves converted into the network,” she
said. “Very soon we are upgrading five more exchanges in the city,”
said Kalavathi.
But the biggest issue before its customers would be to get the
equipment to access the benefits of NGN. “The branded equipment is too
costly. It would cost nearly Rs 15,000 in market,” she says.
Interestingly, there is also a China made equipment which is cheaper
than the branded one. It costs around Rs 6,000 and many people are
going for it to access our NGN services, she says.
Interestingly, Chennai Teleohones is also planning to make its
landline more attractive as it has been hit due to rise in mobile
telephony. “We have a subscription base of 7.2 lakh landline
connection and hope to increase it with new offers as well as
upgrading to NGN,” Kalavathi said.
While the plans are ambitious, Chennai Telephones also has several
hurdles to take care off. “The first and foremost is to have proper
coordination with the state authorities so that cable fault is
minimised and completed on time,” she said. Interestingly, it is the
cable fault due to digging by Chennai Metro water and Chennai Metro
Rail for implementing their their projects that has disconnected many
BSNL landline connections. “We are planning get this rectified soon
and change the perception of our customer,” she said.
The other challenge is the competition with private players. “Most of
the private players would resort to unethical practice of
disconnecting our lines or cables. We have even filed FIRs against
some private telecom companies,” says Kalavathi
Chennai:
Chennai Telephones is planning to expand its footprint in 3G Network
in the city and plans to add one lakh new customers in its
subscription list by the end of the financial year.
The BSNL circle, headed by chief general manager S M Kalavathi, is
already planning to add around 600 new Base trans receiver stations
(BTS), including 250 new 3G BTS by the moth of November.
The first woman chief general manager of Chennai Telephones, Kalavathi
says that the expansion of 3G network up till Chengalpet, Thiruvallur,
Kancheepuram and Tirutanni would be a game changer as it would reach
out to peripheral areas.
“We had lot of complaints from people over the quality of 3G network
in far flung areas. With the commissioning of these new towers our
reach would be enhanced and customers can enjoy quality service” said
Kalavathi, who has a vision to revive the hegemony of BSNL in Chennai.
Highlighting the role played by BSNL in the telecom sector, she said
had it not been for the public sector unit, the mobile telephony
wouldn’t have been affordable for common man.
Ruing the fact that BSNL entered into mobile telephony much later than
the private players, she said that it was only in 2002 that Chennai
Telephones started the mobile services. “There was not much expansion
since then. Had it been there then BSNL would now have a sizeable
customer base,” she said.
Interestingly, Kalavathi is now working towards realising the
ambitious plan of achieving the 27 per cent increase in revenue in the
Chennai Circle this financial year. “This is a tough task but then I
and my team is working towards it. I am confident that this year we
would be making good profits,” she said.
Interestingly, Kalavathi is also banking on the Next Generation
Network for fixed lines to increase its coffers. The landline
exchanges in Selaiyur, Tambaram, K K Nagar, Chrompet, Medavakkam,
Rajakeelpakkam and Kelambakkam has been upgraded to IP based NGN. She
said that NGN is the state of the art new telephone technology that
handles multiple types of traffic (such as Voice, Data and
Multimedia).
“After our landline exchanges have been upgraded to NGN, nearly 20,000
landline customers got themselves converted into the network,” she
said. “Very soon we are upgrading five more exchanges in the city,”
said Kalavathi.
But the biggest issue before its customers would be to get the
equipment to access the benefits of NGN. “The branded equipment is too
costly. It would cost nearly Rs 15,000 in market,” she says.
Interestingly, there is also a China made equipment which is cheaper
than the branded one. It costs around Rs 6,000 and many people are
going for it to access our NGN services, she says.
Interestingly, Chennai Teleohones is also planning to make its
landline more attractive as it has been hit due to rise in mobile
telephony. “We have a subscription base of 7.2 lakh landline
connection and hope to increase it with new offers as well as
upgrading to NGN,” Kalavathi said.
While the plans are ambitious, Chennai Telephones also has several
hurdles to take care off. “The first and foremost is to have proper
coordination with the state authorities so that cable fault is
minimised and completed on time,” she said. Interestingly, it is the
cable fault due to digging by Chennai Metro water and Chennai Metro
Rail for implementing their their projects that has disconnected many
BSNL landline connections. “We are planning get this rectified soon
and change the perception of our customer,” she said.
The other challenge is the competition with private players. “Most of
the private players would resort to unethical practice of
disconnecting our lines or cables. We have even filed FIRs against
some private telecom companies,” says Kalavathi
No comments:
Post a Comment