Dishnet to install DSLAMs for faster Net connectivity

By Latha Kartikeyan

CHENNAI: Chennai-based national ISP, Dishnet Ltd., part of the Sterling Infotech Group, will install 2,500 Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexers (DSLAMs) across the country in the next couple of years as part of its move to introduce DSL technology to Indian users. Towards this end, the company is importing DSLAM equipment from Sumitomo Electronics, Japan. An overall investment of Rs 400 crore is envisaged, of which Rs 100 crore will be pumped in by Sterling Infotech and the rest will be acquired from the market, according to company sources.

In the first phase ending March 2000, 250 DSLAMs, which will be imported, will be installed in Chennai, Bangalore, Delhi and Mumbai. Chennai will account for 15 DSLAMs, initially. Every DSLAM will facilitate 96 connections within a radius of five kilometres. Ravi Warriar, President-Marketing, Dishnet, said, "A standard bandwidth of 64 kbps will be provided with provisions for higher bandwidths if necessary. Most of the home users use the Net for downloading information, while corporate users use it for both information downloading and uploading. With DSL, these operations can be considerably speeded up."

The installation will cost Rs 29,970 with a monthly rental of Rs 1,995 for the home users and Rs 49,500 along with a monthly rental of Rs 9,995 for commercial purposes (LANs, multiple PCs etc). The company has already completed a pilot project in Brown Stone Apartments, a residential complex in Chennai, giving close to 35 connections. "One of the biggest advantages of this technology is that it leaves telephone lines free and provides faster downloads. It is also `always connected' for the browser to use the Internet whenever necessary. This would eliminate additional expenditure incurred on the telephone while using the Internet," said Mr Warriar.

Dishnet also has major plans to open a chain of browsing centers (numbering close to 60), across four states in the South. These centers too will operate on DSLAMs. Dishnet plans to lay cables exclusively for connectivity, not depending on DoT for phone lines. This also comes in the wake of the company's long-pending negotiation with the DoT with respect to setting up a revenue sharing concept to reduce Internet costs. Dishnet becomes the first ISP in the country to offer DSL technology to strengthen its subscriber base. It is also planning to set up its own international gateway after the recent approval of gateway privatization by the Government.