In The Indian government has agreed to revise its definition of broadband as a connection that offers speed of 512 Kbps from January 2011. Previously broadband, in government parlance, was being defined as a connection that offered a minimum speed of 256 Kbps. From January 1, 2015, the stipulated download speed for any broadband connection, either wireline or wireless, will be 2 Mbps. All this is in line with the recommendations of the telecom regulator, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), in the National Broadband Plan.
On 3rd August, Minister of State for Communication and Information Technology, Milind Deora, declared, According to TRAIs recommendations on the National Broadband Plan submitted on December 8, 2010, a broadband connection is a data connection using any technology that is able to support interactive services including Internet access and support a minimum download speed of 512 Kbps. Also, the upload speed should be at least be half the download speed. This definition of broadband (both wireline and wireless) given in para 6.21 of the National Broadband Plan, is effective from 1st January 2011. The stipulated download speed of 2 Mbps will be effective from 1st January 2015.
The broadband speed being offered in India is still quite less as compared to the speed that is available to users in countries like South Korea, UK, USA, Japan and elsewhere. The new report from TRA had indicated that the number of Internet subscribers in India rose by 5.29 per cent in the quarter ended March 2011 to reach 19.67 million for the period January to March 2011. Clearly a lot more can be done to enhance the scope, reach and quality of broadband in the country.
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