Union Minister of Communications Jyotiraditya M Scindia right now launched a sequence of citizen-focused initiatives aimed toward enhancing telecom accessibility, safety, and connectivity. Key bulletins included the Sanchar Saathi Cellular App, Nationwide Broadband Mission (NBM) 2.0, and the Intra Circle Roaming (ICR) facility at Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN)-funded 4G websites.
Additionally Learn: Sanchar Saathi Portal Launched by Union Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw
1. Sanchar Saathi Cellular App
The Sanchar Saathi Cellular App goals to reinforce telecom safety and empower customers with instruments to fight fraud. Key options embody the power to report fraudulent communications, handle cellular connections, block misplaced or stolen units, and confirm handset authenticity. The app, out there on Android and iOS platforms, targets India’s 900 million smartphone customers, making certain telecom safety at their fingertips.
Whereas launching the Cellular Software, the Minister remarked, “This initiative not solely offers entry to alternatives but additionally ensures a safe atmosphere for all customers.” He emphasised that the Sanchar Saathi App is dedicated to sustaining the safety, security, and trustworthiness of telecom networks for everybody.
Achievements of Sanchar Saathi Initiative
Since its launch in Could 2023, the Sanchar Saathi platform has achieved notable milestones:
- Disconnected 2.75 crore fraudulent connections.
- Secured 25 lakh misplaced units.
- Diminished spoofed calls by 90 %.
- Blocked 12.38 lakh cybercrime-linked WhatsApp accounts.
Learn Extra – DoT Block Misplaced or Stolen Cellular Service Now Reside for All Customers in India
2. Nationwide Broadband Mission (NBM) 2.0
Constructing on the success of the primary part, NBM 2.0 goals to attach a further 1.7 lakh villages by 2030, improve broadband penetration in rural areas, and enhance mounted broadband speeds to a minimal of 100 Mbps. Different objectives embody:
- Extending optical fiber protection to 2.7 lakh villages by 2030
- Making certain 90 % of colleges, Panchayats, and well being facilities have broadband.
- Rising rural web penetration from 45 % to 60 %.
- Powering 30 % of cellular towers with sustainable power.
Jyotiraditya Scindia highlighted that NBM 2.0 builds on the success of NBM 1.0, underneath which almost 8 lakh towers had been established. He famous, “Broadband subscriptions have elevated from 66 crore to 94 crore. This progress serves because the fulcrum, the muse, and the idea for the launch of NBM 2.0.”
He additional emphasised that the first goal of NBM 2.0 is to attach the remaining 1.7 lakh villages throughout the nation and to realize bold milestones. “Our aim is to make sure that at the least 60 out of each 100 rural households have entry to broadband connectivity. Moreover, we intention to realize a minimal mounted broadband obtain velocity of 100 Mbps, creating a strong digital infrastructure for rural India,” he added.
Additionally Learn: Authorities Enforces New Sections of Telecommunications Act 2023
3. Intra Circle Roaming at DBN 4G Websites
The telecom towers funded by Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), beforehand generally known as USOF, in rural and distant areas cater to the subscribers of the particular TSP that put in the cellular tower with DBN funding. Thus far, subscribers of different TSPs haven’t benefited from the DBN-funded towers.
The newly launched Intra Circle Roaming (ICR) facility addresses this challenge. Now, the Minister has inaugurated ICR at DBN-funded 4G websites. This collaboration between BSNL, Airtel, and Reliance Jio will allow shared infrastructure throughout round 27,836 websites, providing 4G connectivity to 35,400 villages. The initiative optimises prices whereas making certain strong protection in distant areas, in response to the Communications Ministry.
The Union Minister emphasised the importance of this initiative, stating, “This can be a essential pillar, with three of our TSPs – BSNL, Airtel, and Reliance – becoming a member of forces to leverage one another’s infrastructure in any respect DBN-funded websites. With almost 27,836 such websites, we’re making certain not solely connectivity but additionally offering clients throughout the nation with the liberty of alternative.”
The Ministry additional defined, “ICR between TSPs at DBN-funded 4G cellular websites will allow subscribers of a number of TSPs to take pleasure in 4G providers from a single DBN-funded tower as a substitute of getting a number of towers for the assorted TSPs. Subsequently, extra subscribers are benefited by means of a decrease CAPEX funding of the operators and Authorities. This initiative guarantees seamless 4G connectivity for over 35,400 rural and distant villages served by roughly such 27,000 towers.”
Neeraj Mittal, Secretary (Telecom) of the Division of Telecommunications, highlighted that the ICR facility can be particularly helpful for these in distant areas of the nation.
