Will the promises deliver this time?
EMN
Dimapur, May 28
State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has launched what it only called “next generation network” for the north eastern region, and for Nagaland in Dimapur and Kohima district.
While the 3G and 4G cellular technology networks are understood, the BSNL did not explain what the so-stated “next generation network” was except explaining simply that it was a “new technology that offers various facilities similar to mobile technology.”
The BSNL issued a press release on Thursday informing about the so-asserted ‘new technology’.
‘Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has launched Next Generation Network (NGN), a new technology that offers various facilities similar to mobile technology, to provide better telecommunication services to the esteemed customers in the north-east region,’ the corporation said.
According to the BSNL, “The Internet Protocol (IP)-based technology NGN would provide additional facilities to customers on their landline phones. The new technology would improve the telecommunication network in BSNL North East Circle – II. The NGN is aimed at increasing the landline usages at a time when everyone is using mobile connectivity for communication”.
The “new technology”, as the BSNL has called it, is said to have been commissioned recently for Dimapur in the town’s Signal Basti, and in the capital Kohima town for the first phase of pushing the new facility.
“Another eight places, three in Arunachal Pradesh, three in Manipur and two in Nagaland, NGN technology will be launched in the next few months in phase-II,” the corporation stated. Thankfully, users and subscribers many not necessarily have to work too much at using the new facility.
“There would be no change in the telephone numbers and billing cycle and the rate for calls would also be the same except when using other facilities such as video, picture and data through session initiation protocol,” the BSNL said.
The BSNL has claimed the ‘new generation’ technology would “improve voice quality and offer broad band services, video calling, and nationwide centrex, seven party conferencing facilities besides increasing the reach, coverage and availability of BSNL’s broadband services”.
“With its multimedia services, the new system allows at least 30 subscribers to interact with one another by video calling, graphics, picture, data and also by multiple video conferencing through Session Initiation Protocol Telephone handsets,” the company said.
The BSNL, the oldest and first cellular service provider to enter Nagaland continues to be mired by controversies, particularly about the quality of its services to the population of the state. The highest and most visible of complaints from subscribers in Nagaland against the quality of BSNL’s services was observed during 2005-2009.
