About BharatNet Project:
- It is an ambitious project of the Government of India aimed at providing broadband connectivity to all Gram Panchayats (GPs) in the country.
- It is one of the biggest rural telecom projects in the world.
- The primary objective is to provide unrestricted access to broadband connectivity to all the telecom service providers.
- This enables access providers like mobile operators, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), Cable TV operators, and content providers to launch various services such as e-health, e-education, and e-governance in rural and remote India.
- The project is being executed by a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), namely Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL), which was incorporated in 2012 under Indian Companies Act 1956.
- The Telecom Commission approved implementation of the project in three phases. While the Phase I was completed in 2017, Phase II and Phase III are ongoing.
What is the Amended BharatNet Program (ABP)?
- The ABP is a design improvement aiming for:
- Optical Fibre (OF) connectivity to 2.64 lakh GPs in ring topology (a network design where connected devices form a circular data channel)
- OF connectivity to the remaining non-GP villages on demand.
- It includes features like IP-MPLS (Internet Protocol Multi-Protocol Label Switching) network with routers at Blocks and GPs, operation and maintenance for 10 years, power backup, and Remote Fibre Monitoring System (RFMS).
