Nimal, while speaking on "Broadband challenges to ISPs," said that initially the bandwidth will be increased by 45 mega byte. He stated that tariff will have to be yet decided however, "it will be both economical and useful for the ISPs."

Nimal said that VSNL has also planned an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) with a bandwidth of 155 mega byte per second to be launched in eight cities initially and later to be extended to 12 cities. The ATM network will help improve the basic telephony and internet traffic. It will be commissioned by June or July this year. Tenders have already been invited.

He advised private ISPs to go in for higher-speed access, higher bandwidth at low cost and benchmark connectivity in a bid to remain competitive. He said that the challenges to ISPs are network-technology cost.

National Centre for Software Technology director S Ramani said that the ISPs will have to position themselves properly to focus on customer education. The ISPs will have also to decide whether they want to cater to the corporate or home segments.

Ramani said that service providers will initially will have to face problems of inadequate connectivity. He suggested that 20 operators should join hands together to set up a teleport with assured telephone links. He added that VSNL, with the necessary experience can help ISPs in installing such teleports.

R Ramamoorthy of Hewlett Packard said that in the new ISP world, customer challenges and opportunities will depend upon cost reduction, profitability and flexibility. He said that in the new converged world, customers need bandwidth and capacity on demand and ISPs will have to make substantial investments in backbone.

Mac Binesh of Sun Microsystems said that access, service and content are important factors for ISPs. Security is critical for use of the Internet as a global communication and trading channel.

However, according to a survey conducted in the US, attacks on networks have increased by 498 per cent since 1991 while 90 per cent intrusions go undetected. On a typical network crack guesses account for 10-20 per cent of all passwords.

Another study done by the US defence agency shows 88 per cent success rate in break-ins, only 5 per cent detected the attack, while mere 0.03 per cent reported the attack. He said that Sun has launched Sun Net for access anywhere, anytime with authenticated secure competing from any internet connected device.

NSE chief calls for ending VSNL monopoly on Internet

The National Stock Exchange (NSE) managing director RH Patil has called for ending the monopoly of VSNL and department of telecommunications (DoT) on Internet business immediately. He said that even ISDN and I-Net services are poor as the concerned officials are not customer-friendly and the quality of equipment leaves much to be desired.

Patil, while addressing the third annual Internet summit organised jointly by the Indian Merchant's Chamber and Multinet Infosys, said that the Internet business will become profitable when the country will be able to create volumes. He advocated extension of Net facilities for students in colleges, high schools and later to elementary schools so that India can frog leap into the telecom era.

Amitabh Kumar, VSNL chairman and managing director said that 1999 will be a watershed for India as the country will integrate into a global environment.

He said that last year, the US made a net payment of $420 million to the country towards 600 million minutes of overseas calls. If India is to switch over to the system of "voice over IPS," the balance of trade will be reverted and India will be a net loser.