Vodafone Idea (Vi), the third-largest telecom operator in the country, has suggested that the telecom service providers (TSPs) should be allowed access to the BBNL (Bharat Broadband Network Limited) fiber. BBNL is a body that was set up to drive fiber deployment in rural or uncovered (no network) areas in India under the BharatNet project. In 2023, the govt merged BBNL with BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited) to drive efficiency to the operations of both companies.
In response to a TRAI consultation paper titled, 'Digital Transformation through 5G Ecosystem', Vi said that the fiber of BBNL should be made available to the TSPs, but on a commercial grade SLA (service level agreement) with a promise of >99% uptime along with penalty clauses.
Read More - Vodafone Idea Enhances Network Capacity in Ayodhya
Vi said, "BBNL has already laid out vast route length of fibre across the country, which is available in the under-covered and uncovered rural/semi-urban areas as well. This fibre should be made available to the TSPs but, on a commercial grade SLA basis i.e. with >99.9% uptime along with penalty clauses."
Getting access to the fiber deployed by BBNL can help the TSPs in rolling out network services in rural and uncovered regions faster at much lower costs. Deploying fiber is an expensive and a time taking task, thus, the telcos can benefit from the fiber that BBNL has already laid out, believes Vodafone Idea.
Read More - Vi Doesn’t Exist in Large Parts of the Country: Sunil Bharti Mittal
"Also, the fibre has to be made available on market pricing applicable to such rural/semi-urban areas. Accordingly, relevant provisions of Policies / guidelines / Master Service agreements / Acts should be amended," the telco added.
Be it 4G or 5G, fiber is required for both and it can also help the TSPs in offering fiber internet services (FTTH) to consumers using the already established brand in the urban areas.
