Tata Power Broadband forays into VPN

Rahul Gupta

MUMBAI: Mumbai-based Tata Power Broadband, is planning to launch multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) based Virtual Private Network (VPN) services. Rahul Choudhry, CEO, Tata Power Broadband said, "We are going to use our ISP license to provide these services as we are not keen to get into the access business".

The company which has a Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) based backbone in the city with a capacity of 2.5 Gbps is currently selling bulk bandwidth, both TDM and IP, to voice and data service providers. " We are carrier’s carrier and most of the IP2 service providers in Mumbai are our customers. We have also laid close to 700 km of optic fiber network in Mumbai and Mumbai-Pune route, " added Choudhry.

Tata Power would be using both VSNL gateway and satellite channels. The company has chalked up plans to roll out in other cities too. The competition is intensifying, as telecom majors Bharti Telecom and Reliance Infocom are also laying cables at a scorching pace.

Another Tata group company, VSNL has already given its consent to invest Rs 1,300 crore in Tata Power's broadband infrastructure. Of this amount Rs 500 crore would be invested in the current fiscal, while the balance would be invested in 2003-04. Tata Power itself has plans to invest Rs 880 crore to enhance its broadband ventures.