VSNL, which took back the earth station last year from a non-resident Indian (NRI) private software technology park (STP) operator at Talawade, near here, will add more equipment in the form of modems, up/down converters and multiplexes. It will also use a microwave link to connect Talawade with its hub at Dighi, where the VSNL is located. This will offer a link to areas like Chinchwad.

VSNL chief general manager KP Tiwari said that this would increase the nigam's revenue as each circuit leased by it to software units earned it Rs 15 lakh. The earth station will additionally benefit the STP which is coming up at Hinjewadi and offer global connectivity before March 1999, Tiwari added.

Tiwari's own appointment as CGM comes in the wake of arealisation that Pune is growing as a software development centre without much fanfare. VSNL, which is gearing up for competition from the private sector, has targeted software units and the Internet as its two priority thrusts for the region.

In an effort to increase Internet penetration locally, VSNL has started offering Internet connections on demand within hours. Moreover, it is in the process of locating service centres, where customers can get their connections and pay their dues, within the city and cantonment limits. At present, these services are located at its hub at Dighi, about 15 kms from Pune. This is being done in preparation for competition when private internet service providers (ISPs) are allowed to begin retail services, when VSNL stands to lose revenue unless it gears up now.

VSNL is putting up its own tower at Kothrud, a suburb which falls in the shadow region making leased line communications difficult for STP units located there although dial up services, used for the Internet, haveno problem.

The tower will provide line-of-sight connectivity from the hill at Chandi Chowk to Dighi. One circuit has been tested while the tower will be fully operational by the end of this month, Tiwari said. It has been held up due to the signing of commercial agreements between the users and VSNL and is expected to generate revenues of up to Rs 1 crore from the STP units located in the area.

Internet connections in the city are growing at about 45 per day, most of them being TCP/IP accounts. Connections in the city presently number around 5,000, expected to go up to 15,000 by March 1999, VSNL deputy general manager (customer relations) RM Kumbhar said.