The entire network of Calcutta Telephones district will become 100 per cent digital before the end of the current month by decommissioning of electronic analog exchanges, said its chief general manager KR Ramanujam. The target date for total digitalisation is March 31, 2000.

Calcutta Telephone district, which covers an area of 2,200 square km, would be the first telephone district in the country to become 100 per cent digital. The telephone networks of Delhi and Mumbai, the two metros which are serviced by Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd, are yet to become fully digital.

Calcutta Telephones, which has completed 1,000,000 connections by the end of February, has been asked to provide another 1,000,000 connections in next three years against the target of 2004.

Department of telecom services secretary PS Saran believes the way Calcutta Telephones had been working for last several years, it can achieve the target in three years. Starting with half million connections on March 18, 1997, Calcutta Telephones have doubled its capacity in less than three years. As on February 29, 2000, it had an equipped capacity of 1,136,028 lines supported by OCB, EWSD and E-10B technology.

Calcutta Telephones would also commission National Internet Backbone shortly which is now under testing.

Calcutta Telephones will also launch Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) services in the first quarter of 2000-2001 fiscal. It is also gearing up to introduce Wireless in local Loop (WLL) by June 2000.

According to Telecom Commission member and ex-officio secretary to the government of India NK Sinha, who came to Calcutta to participate in the function to celebrate Calcutta Telephone joining `million line club', India Mobile Personal Communication Service (IMPCS) will be launched by June this year. Initially, it will be introduced in Calcutta, Haldia and Kalyani and then will be extended to other areas.

Cdot has been appointed to develop the software required for that, while ITI will manufacture it. To start with, it will work on GSM platform.

Although minister of state for communication Tapan Sikdar has promised that Calcutta Telephones will provide mobile service by the pujas, Saran believes it could be provided even by July as the equipment for mobile telephone pilot project will reach Calcutta by April.