Usof

BSNL to set up 25,000 Wi-Fi hotspots in its rural exchanges over the next six months

Reliable internet service through these Wi-Fi hotspots shall be provided through robust fibre backhaul of the BSNL.

DoT To Provide Broadband In 5,000 Rural Blocks

In each block, about 40 institutional users such as schools, public health centres, panchayats and community service centres (CSC) will get benefit from the broadband connectivity.

Trai recommends limited free data to subscribers in rural India to bridge the digital divide

The measure is to realise the vision of Digital India, to increase access to electronic banking, healthcare, education and governance services.

Telecom Minister: Innovative approaches needed for Digital India

There is need for innovation as India cannot afford to emulate developed economies, Communications Minister Manoj Sinha said on Wednesday.

Sibal's penalty cut for RCom on USOF is back to haunt him

Kapil Sibal's decision to whittle down RCom's penalties for unilaterally switching off several rural towers may be revisited by a wing in his ministry

Why RCom is defaulting on its USOF obligations

Reliance Communications has been a big defaulter in meeting its rural telephony obligations under USOF because it is unviable. The company goofed up by overbidding for these circles.

RCom's failure prompts Sibal to go after everyone

Sibal's justification for reducing the penalty on RCom for the switch-off last November was that the company had since restored services.

PIL in SC seeks CBI probe into Sibal's 'favour' to RCom

An NGO has filed a public interest litigation against Communications Minister Kapil Sibal for allegedly favouring Reliance Communications by reducing the penalties recommended by his bureaucrats.

Here's Sibal's justification for over-ruling his babus

When Kapil Sibal reduced the penalties for Reliance Communications for switching off some rural services unilaterally, he justified it by using the in-built provisions of the USOF Agreement rather than the basic telecom licence agreement.

RCom gets a multi-crore reprieve for pulling rural telephony plug

When Reliance Communications suddenly switched off its unviable rural telephony operations, the telecom bureaucracy was not amused. They proposed a hefty fine, but Sibal used different provisions under the USOF agreement to reduce the fines.