India’s First High-Speed Wireless Broadband Network Launched

Bharat Sanchar Nigam, Ltd (BSNL), India’s state-owned and largest telecommunications company, and SOMA Networks, Inc., a provider of WiMAX solutions, Tuesday announced the commercial launch of “BSNL Wireless Broadband” service in the state of Gujarat. The new BSNL Wireless Broadband service offers a range of service plans based on bandwidth rates, providing speeds from 256 kbps to 2 Mbps. Residential plans include two email addresses and 5 MB of storage. Business plans include up to four email addresses, and 5 MB of storage.

BSNL has partnered with SOMA to deploy WiMAX service in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa and Andhra Pradesh. As a part of this operating partnership, SOMA has invested in the network rollout, and will manage the service on behalf of BSNL. Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) is the first enterprise to benefit from this service in Gujarat. GIDC will make this service available to industries housed in their estates, and will also use this service in their own administrative offices.

India has low Internet penetration of around 4.9% (compared with 68% in the US), while broadband penetration is even lower, at less than half a percent. This service will aim to significantly improve India’s broadband tele-density.

To learn more about SOMA’s service offering with BSNL visit: http://www.wimax.bsnl.in