Streamlining of RoW charges, license fee waiver needed for expanding broadband: Airtel

New Delhi: A more streamlined right of way (RoW) charges, license fee waiver, and better subscriber reporting are enablers needed for more people to get connected to broadband, Bharti Airtel said in a presentation to the Department of Telecommunications in Pune, citing challenges the telecom operator is facing while expanding its broadband network across the country.

“Central government has defined a standard rate of Rs 1000 per kilometer for underground rollout, but states are still issuing demand notes ranging from Rs 1 to Rs 33,000 per meter. High rates in few states makes the business case totally unviable,” Airtel said in a presentation at the India ISP Conclave held on June 11.