KOLKATA: The telecom department has
asked the Department of Northeastern Region (DoNER) to reimburse satellite
bandwidth charges paid by Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd to Antrix Corp for
maintaining telecom coverage in the Northeast during the 12th Plan, according
to an internal note seen by ET.
At present, BSNL pays hefty satellite bandwidth charges annually to Antrix — the commercial & marketing arm of Indian Space Research Organisation ( Isro) — for ensuring telecom coverage in the Northeast. In 2012-13 and 2013-14, BSNL shelled out nearly Rs 95 crore.
At present, BSNL pays hefty satellite bandwidth charges annually to Antrix — the commercial & marketing arm of Indian Space Research Organisation ( Isro) — for ensuring telecom coverage in the Northeast. In 2012-13 and 2013-14, BSNL shelled out nearly Rs 95 crore.
The telecom department (DoT)
believes such reimbursement is justified "due to high satellite bandwidth
charges" and the comparatively higher cost of service provisioning in the
Northeast using satellites, which triggers "losses for BSNL", the
note shows.
Accordingly, it wants DoNER to fully
compensate BSNL for charges paid to Antrix to ensure "viability of service
provisioning in the Northeast. The proposed reimbursements for the 12th Plan
will be effective from 2013-14 onwards. In 2013-14, BSNL paid Rs 46.84 crore to
Antrix towards satellite bandwidth charges.
The latest developments come at a time when the Department of Space (DoS) is likely to waive such charges payable by BSNL to sustain the loss-making telco's operations in the Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshwadweep archipelagos.
The latest developments come at a time when the Department of Space (DoS) is likely to waive such charges payable by BSNL to sustain the loss-making telco's operations in the Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshwadweep archipelagos.
n a recent consultation paper on the
state of telecoms infrastructure in the Northeast, the Telecom Regulatory
Authority of India had also noted that satellite bandwidth charges are high,
since demand outstrips current capacity on Indian satellites.
t had, in fact, suggested that 75%
of the annual satellite bandwidth charges be subsidised by the Universal
Services Obligation Fund (USOF) — an independent arm of the DoT — since Antrix
Corp may face challenges in reducing levies as it has to pay for hiring
transponders from foreign satellites.
DoT has advocated DoNER compensation
for BSNL given the dependence on satellite systems for continued telecom
coverage in a region of strategic importance, especially in the remote border
districts.