One of the problems contributing to a dip in the quality of service is inadequacy of infrastructure to cater to the growing telecom subscriber base. An integral part of telecom infrastructure is the base transmission systems (BTSs), which contain equipment for transmitting and receiving radio signals (transceivers), antennas and equipment for encrypting and decrypting communications. Another key element is mobile switching centres (MSCs), which connect clusters of BTSs and facilitate inter-working with location databases. They ensure a reasonable quality of service for subscribers by reducing network congestion and call failures.

Recently, the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) revealed that India would need 140,000 towers by 2007 and 350,000 towers by 2010. However, there are only 85,900 such towers in the country as of June 2006. tele.net takes a closer look at the progress in BTS and MSC installation during the quarter AprilJune 2006.

BASE TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS
All-India progress

  • The number of mobile subscribers per BTS was 1,272 in June compared to 1,324 in March 2006.
  • The number of BTSs increased substantially, by 18.4 per cent, from 72,550 to 85,900 during the same period.
  • The largest number of BTS additions of 5,422 was contributed by Category B circles, while Category C added the least ?? 1,588. Category A made 4,570 additions.

Metros (Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai)

  • The metros added 1,770 towers, totalling up to 15,189. This is up by 13.2 per cent, from 13,419 in April 2006.
  • This averaged 1,682 mobile subscribers per BTS, significantly higher than the allIndia average.
  • Of the four metros, Delhi reported the largest number of BTSs followed by Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata in that order.
  • Delhi had 5,213 towers, and also added the highest number ?? 652 to be precise ?? during the quarter.
  • Another interesting observation is that, despite having relatively more BTSs than Chennai and Kolkata, Mumbai and Delhi had a higher number of subscribers per BTS ?? 2,042 and 1,828 respectively.
  • Mumbai had the largest number of subscribers per BTS in India.
  • While Kolkata had the least number of BTSs, totalling 2,703, Chennai was the slowest in setting up new ones, with only 337 additions during the quarter.

Circle A (Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu)

  • This category increased its BTS level by 17.3 per cent, from 26,350 to 30,920 during the quarter, with 1,255 mobile subscribers per BTS.
  • Andhra Pradesh recorded the largest number in the group, adding 1,584 new towers, a 30.3 per cent increase during April-June 2006.
  • Maharashtra, with 5,750 BTSs, had the lowest number of towers out of the lot, and registered the lowest increment of 602 towers in the quarter. As a result, it had the largest number of subscribers per BTS in the segment with 1,428 users to a BTS.
  • Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, with 6,366 and 6,121 towers respectively, had 1,199 and 1,108 subscribers per BTS respectively. Circle B (Haryana, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh-East, Uttar Pradesh-West, West Bengal and Andaman & Nicobar Islands)

Circle B (Haryana, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh-East, Uttar Pradesh-West, West Bengal and Andaman & Nicobar Islands)

  • During the quarter, Category B circles not only had the maximum number of BTSs but also added the largest number ?? 5,422. There were 1,135 mobile subscribers per BTS.
  • With 5,953 BTSs, Punjab had the largest number of towers in the group followed by Kerala, Uttar Pradesh-East, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh-West, West Bengal and Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and Madhya Pradesh in that order.
  • Punjab circle also made the maximum additions, while Haryana had the least number of BTSs and the lowest number of users per BTS at 842.
  • West Bengal and Andaman & Nicobar Islands displayed a similar trend as Haryana. Despite having relatively fewer towers, and making few new additions, the circle had only 910 subscribers to one BTS.
  • Uttar Pradesh (East) had the maximum number of subscribers per BTS ?? 1,343 ?? in this segment.

Circle C (Assam, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Orissa, Northeast)

  • Due to relatively fewer subscribers, Category C circles had 1,106 subscribers per BTS on an average ?? the lowest in the country. The circles also added the least number of towers.
  • Interestingly, Bihar’s telecom infrastructure has strengthened. The circle added 591 BTSs to a total of 2,416 towers, the group’s leader.
  • Jammu & Kashmir, with 897 base stations, had 1,057 subscribers per BTS.
  • The Northeast had the least number of base stations in the country, while Himachal Pradesh had the smallest number of subscribers per BTS in India.

MOBILE SWITCHING CENTRES

  • The number of MSCs in India increased from 437 to 471.
  • Category A and B circles had 152 MSCs each, followed by the metros, which were at 110. Category C circles had 57 MSCs.
  • While the metros added only four MSCs, Category A and B circles made 11 and 16 additions respectively. Predictably, Category C circles added the least number of MSCs.
  • In the metros, though Delhi and Mumbai failed to add any MSCs, Kolkata and Chennai added three and one respectively.
  • While Gujarat and Karnataka increased their MSCs by four each, Tamil Nadu made three new additions.
  • Interestingly, Punjab added the maximum MSCs in the country.
  • Except for Bihar, Category C circles failed to make any new additions.