The Hindu

Company setting up Base Transmitting Stations on a war-footing 

• Karnataka Circle has been given a target of providing eight lakh additional mobile lines
• 4.39 lakh lines added to the mobile network since April 1, 2005
• BSNL network covers 519 cities and towns

Bangalore, Feb 14: Here is good news for people who have been waiting for BSNL mobile phone connections. The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), Karnataka Circle, is all set to add eight lakh mobile phone lines by the end of this financial year.

The corporation added 4.39 lakh lines to the eight-lakh existing lines in its mobile network since April 1, 2005. Karnataka Circle has been given a target of providing eight lakh additional mobile lines by setting up 909 Base Transmitting Stations (BTS) for the current financial year.

BSNL has been setting up BTS on a war footing to achieve the target and has already installed 551 BTS, M.C. Kalkura, General Manager (Planning and Development), Karnataka Telecom Circle, told The Hindu .

In all, 1,300 BTS are functioning throughout the State, he said. The demand for new connections has ever been increasing and the corporation is finding it difficult to cater to the demand, he added.

The expansion of mobile network has witnessed penetration of mobile connectivity to the nook and corner of the State, including remote places in the Western Ghat's mountain ranges and remote villages in north Karnataka, Kalkura said. While 319 cities and towns were covered by BSNL's mobile network till March 31, 2005, the corporation plans to include 343 more cities and towns in its network before the end of current financial year. So far, BSNL has added 300 cities and towns in its network taking the total to 519 cities and towns.

Kalkura said out of 909 proposed BTS, 315 BTS are to be installed in the city. So far 52 BTS have been installed taking the total number of BTS to 302, while the rest are to be completed by March 31.

There are over five lakh subscribers in the city. A typical BTS in urban areas can cater to 1,500 lines and the one in rural area 500 lines.

Regarding the connectivity problem in the city, Kalkura said the same will be solved with installation of the remaining BTS. Also, BSNL Karnataka Circle has written to its headquarters to sanction additional spectrum enabling it to enhance the capacity of BTS by 1,000 lines, Kalkura added.