LG reviews progress on NOFN
LEH, Mar 12: Ladakh Lieutenant Governor (LG) R K Mathur has stressed on connectivity based on optical fibre cables (OFC) for all hamlets in the Union Territory.
He has assured the service providers of all necessary support from his administration for providing mobile towers and digital connectivity across Ladakh.
Mathur was speaking at a meeting chaired by him in Delhi to review telecommunications-related issues and concerns in Ladakh, an official spokesperson said here today.
The LG reviewed the progress on the National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) scheme for connecting all the 193 gram panchayats through fibre as the gram panchayats are currently on VSAT-based systems.
He also discussed the issue of low bandwidth of the VSATs installed by the BharatNet project that is impacting the public and students from making the most of this facility and the need for its quick redressal, the spokesperson said.
Mathur stressed on OFC-based connectivity under the BharatNet project and discussed the way forward with BSNL, BBNL and USOF in this regard.
He said the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) has shared that Ladakh may be considered for connecting villages based on the PPP (public-private partnership) model and the work may be allotted in this fiscal, while Jio officials have informed that all their cell phone towers on VSATs are being upgraded to OFC-based connectivity, thereby upgrading those to the 4G platform.
Mathur highlighted the need for BSNL to build redundancy in their fibre network to improve the reliability of their connection, the spokesperson said, adding that BSNL officials informed the meeting that the work of laying OFC on the Drass-to-Kargil route is currently in progress.
The LG also reviewed a proposal for a comprehensive telecom coverage plan for Ladakh.
He took stock of the provision of providing mobile services to remote and difficult uncovered areas and also the areas along the national highways and tourist routes in Ladakh under USOF.
He appreciated the work carried out by Jio to connect the difficult areas in Ladakh under USOF, particularly at Demchok.
Mathur reviewed the status of installing VSATs at various Digital Satellite Phone Terminal (DSPT) sites and the status of the VSATs installed under NOFN in Leh and Kargil.
He discussed upgrading the BSNL 2G mobile towers to 4G to improve internet connectivity in the Union Territory.
The USOF said upgrading 2G to 4G connectivity of BSNL, Jio and Airtel would be considered in the existing tender.
Representatives from Airtel shared updates on the installation of mobile towers in border areas and the issues being faced by them, the spokesperson said. (PTI)
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