Last Mile Xpress to aid in hi-speed data access

NEW DELHI: In a scenario where service providers are forever bemoaning the

difficulties of the last mile, Last Mile Xpress, a home grown start-up company

has come up with innovative solutions that would see cable operators provide

hi-speed data access to customers at minimal cost.

The company's positioning would be to interface between the cable operator

and the ISP and enable the cable operator to deliver broadband connectivity to

homes with the help of their solutions.

The solution envisages the installation of a VSAT terminal at the cable

operator's premise to be hooked to the ISP's network. It will also have a

network management server and the traffic will be distributed to customers

through a hub.

According to the calculations shown by the company the total cost to the

cable operator works out in the range of Rs 6.5 lakh which is far lower than the

expenditure incurred in installing competing broadband technologies like DSL and

cable modem.

Speaking about the project, Raghvendra Agarwal, Founder Director says,

"Cable operators can now diversify their operations from being passive

players to offering innovative services in the converged arena. The

possibilities of new offerings are limitless."

Last Mile Xpress has currently tied up with Hughes Escorts which has an A

category license to provide Internet services across the country. The company's

revenue will come from installation and maintenance as well as a percentage of

the access charges, which it will do on behalf of the ISP.

The service is essentially targeted at cable operators in small towns and

semi urban areas where there are connectivity problems. The service would be

particularly useful for offices in these areas. The scope of such service in

urban areas is a little restricted because of the lack of applications. Already

experiments with different access technologies like DSL and cable modems have

proved the urban broadband home market tough to crack.

The phenomenal reach of cable operators has triggered a race among big

players like Microsoft to invest in cable companies in order to gain access to

homes.