Broadband will take-off this year

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: Telecom, a critical infrastructure for economic growth of the country continued to show up an impressive performance in 2005. India continued to startle the world by providing world-class digital mobile services at the most affordable tariffs in the world. Broadband penetration too was on an upward swing. Millions got connected to information superhighway and customers reaped the benefits of competition and innovation.

Going forward, 2006 promises to be another great year for the country's telecom sector, as I believe that so far, we have only scraped the surface. The telecom sector is a pot of gold where opportunities abound. The fundamentals of the economy continue to be sound and the country is well placed to stay on the growth trajectory. Fuelled by the rise in disposable incomes and the need to be connected at all times, telecom industry will witness much more robust growth. New customers will be added in B and C class towns as service providers will continue to expand their reach and the entry for customers keeps getting much more affordable. In the mature markets like metros and A category circles, introduction of new mobile technologies and value added services such as music downloads, gaming, internet surfing and mobile commerce will drive revenue growth for the telecom industry and improve bottom-lines.

The wireless telecommunications market has long been recognised as one of the most dynamic and fastest-growing segments of the global telecommunications industry. The explosive growth of both the broadband internet and mobile and wireless technology is revolutionising the way the telecommunication industry, especially the service providers, conducts business. Broadband is expanding rapidly in both mature and emerging markets. In my opinion, 2006 could be the year of next generation technological advancements in telecom. Advanced technologies such as third generation (3G) wireless systems are likely to be introduced and will offer the customer an all-round enriching experience. This would also put Indian networks at par with the best in the world. In addition, next generation mobile wireless technologies on platforms such as Wi-Max (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) will also be in the offing in 2006.