By Ankit Agarwal

A child in rural Maharashtra eagerly opens her laptop for online lessons with teachers across India, excited to have access to the knowledge of the world at her fingertips. She sees the farmers in her village monitor market prices and crop patterns on their smartphones. She is inspired by local entrepreneurs who launch innovative ventures from their homes, creating hundreds of jobs. She learns of the relief of patients in the village, who can now get regular remote health consultations via video call without having to travel long distances to clinics or hospitals for minor illnesses.

This is the vision of a rural India connected by BharatNet, and it is a stunning one no doubt. As I often say, much like ‘roti’, ‘kapda’ and ‘makaan’, broadband connectivity has become a fundamental necessity in our daily lives. The project’s intrinsic value is much larger than its positive impact to GDP- BharatNet is expected to improve the quality of life for over 60% of  Indians, who are living in rural areas, through broadband connectivity. It represents India’s ‘yellow brick road’; the proverbial path to our hopes and dreams for a connected, inclusive, truly digital India.

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But I believe the real impact of this nation-transforming agenda will be unlocked when it is made future-ready. For BharatNet to achieve its desired outcome, it should be secure, scalable, resilient, and upgradeable. Embracing the principles of Atmanirbhar (self-reliance), Surakshit (secure), and a ‘Digitally empowered Bharat’ will be instrumental in shaping this network. This will not only ensure that each corner of rural India is seamlessly woven into the digital fabric of the nation but will help address digital and socio-economic disparities at scale. 

Learning from Phases I and II

Phases I and II of BharatNet have already made significant strides in the amount of fibre laid out to date; as of August 2023, over 6.5 lakh km of optical fibre has been laid to connect 2 lakh gram panchayats. 

Some commonly cited concerns from the implementation so far are – a lack of financial viability models for implementing agencies to monetize the network (leading to delays in finalizing their contracts), difficulty in maintaining network quality and uptime, and a challenge with endpoint/last mile connectivity. Some of these challenges could be due to a limitation in design – Phase I was designed with a linear architecture so endpoint connectivity to the gram panchayat only had a single fibre path from the nearest exchange. In case of any fault, the lack of a backup path means the gram panchayat would not be connected to the network and achieving uptime of more than 99% would become difficult for the service provider.

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Learnings from Phase II

To solve the last mile problem, the government has already announced its decision to allocate  INR 1,39,579 crore while  expanding BharatNet’s reach to all the  6.4 lakh villages. 

Laying the foundations for a future-ready, scalable network

As the Department of Telecom finalizes other modifications to Phase III, there are some crucial areas that every player involved (from the private or public sector) should keep in mind in order to realize the vision of BharatNet as a future-ready network.

  1. Emphasizing Self-Reliance: ‘Atmanirbharta’ urges us to localize our manufacturing and production processes. Through BharatNet we have an incredible opportunity to enhance our national capabilities by reducing our reliance on imports, enhancing domestic manufacturing, and tailoring the network to our specific needs. BharatNet is expected to accelerate digital inclusion within India, but we should also think about how its positive impact can be multiplied through the process of creating the network itself, whether through nurturing local manufacturing or creating numerous employment opportunities. In addition to these benefits, using locally manufactured network equipment and components perfectly aligns with India’s production-linked incentive scheme.
  2. Think Long-Term: Digital infrastructure is a significant long-term investment with 20-25 years or more lifespan, so it needs a forward-thinking design approach that anticipates technological advancements and evolving user needs. Consider the data surge within our nation; building a resilient and high-quality network capable of accommodating current and future data demands while meeting international and domestic standards of excellence is imperative. There should also be a commitment to eliminating outdated products and standards that have already been discarded by Telecommunication Service Providers (TSPs) in India and other countries. In fact, when the government is funding 100% of the project cost, players involved can be mandated to use products and equipment that adhere to global standards, ensuring efficiency and longevity.
  3. Ensuring Reliability and Security: Using tested, verified, and certified products reduces the likelihood of technical issues, vulnerabilities, and operational failures. Digital infrastructure’s reliability, security, and performance are crucial, necessitating rigorous testing and certification procedures throughout the development and deployment phases is imperative. The implementation of mandatory testing and certification for telecom equipment (MTCTE) is a proactive measure that ensures only tested, verified, and certified products are used in constructing digital infrastructure. The government should promptly implement Phases III and IV of MTCTE and clearly communicate stringent compliance requirements to the industry, outlining the consequences of non-compliance.

Needless to say, there is a lot riding on BharatNet. With Phase III, the ecosystem has another opportunity to solidify the success of this project. Beyond the three recommendations outlined earlier, with adequate focus on ensuring ease of doing business, maximum support for Right of Way approvals, and feasible implementation timelines, all public and private organizations involved should be able to achieve the project’s goals. Phase III can then stand as a remarkable testament to what India and our telecom sector can collectively achieve at scale and prove once again that the country is very serious about the vision of an inclusive, digital India.

The author is Managing Director, STL

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