The Department of Telecommunications is firming up plans to invite bids for rolling out wireless broadband services to 60,000 villages with support from the Universal Services Obligation Fund (USOF).
It is understood that financial support will be offered to one operator in each circle for rolling out broadband services in previously untapped areas.
According to the plan, operators will be free to deploy any technology, though DoT will specify benchmarks for broadband speed and quality of service. The operator who quotes the lowest amount during the bidding process will be awarded the project. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) will be given the lowest quoted subsidy from the USO fund as the second operator in each circle.
The scheme to offer financial support to broadband wireless access services in rural areas was first mooted more than three years ago but it was put on hold due to the delay in the 3G and broadband spectrum auction.
The auctions were completed earlier this year with as many as three private players with 3G spectrum and another two with broadband spectrum. DoT officials said that the modalities of the new scheme were being discussed but they did not give any time frame for the introduction of the project.
