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Monthly mobile data usage in BSNL Kerala circle has increased 300 per cent during the period from April 2016 to June 2017 from 1,490 terabytes (TB) to 5,903 TB, according to Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL).
Average data usage per site too has increased by 292 per cent during this period from 280 GB to 1,098 GB per month, PT Mathew, Chief General Manager, Kerala circle, told newspersons here.
K Kulanthaivel, Principal General Manager (Finance), who too was present, said that the BSNL has got over with the ‘mild shock’ following the implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST).
The service provider has since become full GST-compliant, he added, and expressed the hope that the ‘small blips’ would be adequately compensated in August.
In line with a proposal initiated by the corporate office, the Kerala circle is seeking to re-popularise broadband and landline connections. Customers are now being encouraged to return at a ‘small additional cost,’ Kulanthaivel said.
The BSNL mobile subscriber base is set to cross one crore by October, Chief General Manager Mathew said. Efforts are underway to achieve the target by the BSNL Day on October 1 itself.
A little more than 39,000 mobile subscribers have already ported in to BSNL during this financial year. In the previous year, 2.47 lakh subscribers had ported in while a little more than one lakh ported out.
Aadhar linkageIntensive efforts are on to link the 95 lakh BSNL mobile customers with their Aadhaar numbers. As on date, 6.2 lakh reverifications have been completed. A free SIM is on offer for customers completing the process.
Mobile network expansion will see a number of base trasceiver stations (BTSs) - 900 for 2G; 1,100 for 3G; 4G for 650 for 4G - being added in the first phase. The roll-out is expected to start in November and get completed by March 2018.
Ten new towers are being added in Lakshadweep, taking the site count to 27. Twelve new 3G BTSs are also being installed which will raise the 3G site count to 17. Presently 3G coverage is available only in Kavaratti, Minicoy, Andrott and Agatti.
Mobile network performance in the circle meets all TRAI Key Performance Indicator (KPI) benchmarks and maintains over 99 per cent uptime for 2G and 3G BTSs, Mathew said.
BSNL will set up 1,070 4G plus WiFi Hotspots in rural exchanges in Kerala with USOF.
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