AGARTALA, July 5 (TIWN): Despite all odds and to improve the telecom connectivity here in the North eastern region, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has come up to intensify the telecommunication service in the north eastern states including the land-locked state of Tripura. However, the BSNL had recently received Rs. 5, 336 crore for the NE development in respect of the telecommunication service, said Chief General Manager NE-I Circle D. P. Singh on Saturday talking to the media persons at BSNL office.He said, “Amongst Rs. 5, 336 crore, Rs. 1, 900 crore would be required to improve telecom connectivity in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.” Adding to that Singh said that another Rs. 2, 800 crore for other north eastern states, Rs. 270 crore would be required to intensify the coverage in the national highways of the NE states and Rs. 300 crore for the transmission media, Singh said to reporters.On being asked about the bad service of the BSNL here in Tripura, Singh interacting with the media persons on Saturday said, “We had already talked to the state government here, taking the stock of the situation and several meetings were held in this regard.”Adding to that D. P. Singh, the CGM NE-I Circle said that there are many gaps found in the capital city here due to some private firms which had prevailed their services here, but the BSNL lacks not behind and are eyeing forward to intensify its services here, despite all odds.

Singh said, “Earlier some four years back I found after the query that at least 35 per cent towers remained down i.e. amongst 1000 some 350 towers remained down, but now after 4 years it has been queried that the figure has come down to 8 percent maximum from the 35 per cent.”

“Several other loopholes are there currently here in the state, but soon those would be restored,” Singh assured.

“BSNL is taking several steps to strengthen its network and focusing on consumers’ care and service delivery to improve quality of service,” he said.

Speaking about the network problems and call drop issues here D. P. Singh said, "We are working on it. Certain sectors have been identified which are facing connectivity and call drop issues and appropriate steps are being taken to resolve these issues."

Singh hoped that the network services here in Tripura would be restored soon and the people of the state would get better facilities.

However, it is to be mentioned here that BSNL is augmenting its mobile network by installing additional 14,421 2G mobile sites and 10,605 3G sites with an estimated investment of Rs. 4,804 crores.

Besides, aiming to make Tripura a part of 'Digital India' initiatives to connect rural areas with high speed internet, the BSNL would work out a road map for the same, Singh said.

Talking about the recently launched Next Generation Network by the BSNL CGM D. P. Singh said that at present Tripura has been covered with 5000 NG networks, whereas during the second phase another 5000 networks would be converted to NG Networks.

In an effort to revolutionize the BSNL telephone services, the public telephone service provider launched the Next Generation Network (NGN) exchanges in Tripura.

Besides, in regard of the recently launched Wi-Fi hotspot CGM D. P. Singh on Saturday said that the BSNL would set up 94 Wi-Fi hotspots here in Tripura amongst the 173 in the entire NE region.