The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), as part of the Centre’s digital India initiative on Friday launched ‘Bharat Air Fibre’ services in Ranchi and Jamshedpur district allowing the residents of these two districts to get wireless Internet connection on demand. Ranchi is the second region in the country where BSNL launched its much ambitious ‘Bharat Air Fibre’ services.

A week back, Sanjay Dhotre Union Minister of State for Communications and IT launched the scheme in Maharashtra’s Akola and Washim districts. KK Singh BSNL Chief General Manager (CGMT), JTC and Ramashray Prasad BSNL General Manager (GMTD) Ranchi, launched the Bharat Air Fibre services in Ranchi.

KK Singh said, “The Bharat Air Fibre Services will enable residents of Ranchi to avail wireless Internet connection on demand. It is a radio based last mile telecom connectivity solution.” Singh claimed that the Ranchi telecom circle had made all preparation for the national launch of air fibre services from Ranchi, but due to some reasons it was launched in Maharashtra.

Singh said, “Country wise Ranchi circle is second and in Eastern India it is the first circle to launch Bharat Air Fibre services. The state-run telecom service provider will also offer free voice calling along with Bharat Air Fibre connectivity with data speeds of upto 100 Mbps.”

BSNL launched the air fibre services as there has been much demand for high speed Internet connection. During lockdown necessitated to check the spread of pandemic coronavirus the demand of Internet high speed has gone up as people want uninterrupted Internet connection as work from home, online education and entertainment have become the need of the hour.  Also where optical fibre reach is difficult, air fibre is the solution.

The air fibre reach will be upto the distance of 2 to 2.5 km radius from the BSNL air fibre transmitter (location) is installed.  The BSNL Ranchi circle division is planning to set up BSNL air fibre transmitter in fifteen locations across the Capital.  Some of the areas in Capital where BSNL air fibre transmitter will be installed includes Bada Talab, Bariatu, Morhabadi, Kathal More, Shyamali colony, Dhurwa, Hatia, Pandra, Namkum, Ashok Nagar, Kanke road and others.

Ramashray Prasad, General Manager Ranchi circle said, “Customers can get wireless Internet connection on installation of air fibre router. The biggest advantage of the scheme is that with a single router eight to ten devices can run at the same time.” 

The officials claimed that the BSNL’s new services apart from having high Internet speed are also affordable. Some of the monthly plans of the services are 3GB CUL having speed upto 8 mbps till 3GB/day, after 1 mbps at the rate of Rs 519. 4 GB CUL  up to 10 mbps till 3GB/day after 2 mbps with the monthly rental rate of Rs 629. The other scheme is 5 GB CUL up to 10mbps till 5GB/day then 2 mbps at the monthly rate of 729 among others.