Hyderabad : Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL), has decided to foray into the telecom business aggressively and proposes to invest Rs 100 crore in laying optic fibre cable (OFC) all along the LPG pipelines. GAIL chairman and managing director C R Prasad told press persons here on Tuesday that the company has proposed to lay optic fibre cable connecting about 2000 kms in tune with the decision to become back bone service provider in the area of telecom services.At present, GAIL is proposing to provide OFC connectivity between Jamnagar in Gujarat to Loni near Delhi covering 1269 kms, concurrently with the LPG pipeline project. The project is expected to be completed by the end of February 2001, Prasad said.
GAIL to invest Rs 100 crore in laying OFC along LPG pipelinesThe link between Delhi and Mumbai using OFC connectivity would enable the Internet, basic telephony and cell phone users throughout the length and breadth of the territory covered by the pipeline and including the small and big towns in between, he added.
Recently, GAIL had entered into an MoU with the Power Grid Corporation to use of the latter's bandwidth in the North-East sector. In return, the Power Grid Corporation will utilize the GAIL bandwidth in Central India. Prasad said the company proposes to have more such agreements eliminating cross-competition among the bandwidth service providers.
According to Prasad, GAIL has entered into MoUs with players like Bharti Tele, BPL and Dishnet and negotiations are in the advanced stage with Relience and Tata Tele.
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