Telecom: Rs 300,000 cr needed

The government on Tuesday said it would require about Rs 300,000 crore (Rs 3000 billion) of investment for the equipment to roll out broadband services and 150 million new telephone lines over the next three years.

The total investment will be divided equally for broadband services and setting up new telephone lines, the Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology Shakeel Ahmad said in New Delhi.

In the broadband policy the government has envisaged to achieve a target of 40 million Internet and 20 million broadband subscribers by 2010.

Speaking at the inaugural session of Convergence India 2005 Ahmad invited companies to set up more manufacturing facilities in the country in the wake of huge growth in telecom subscriber base in the country.

"Few companies like Nokia, LG, Alcatel and Elcoteq have shown interest to set up manufacturing bases here. But there is scope for more participation of the other leading industries as the demand is huge," Ahmad said.