Broadband Providers Seek Subsea Cable Infra Support

New Delhi, Mar 25 (PTI) Broadband companies have sought government support to strengthen the subsea cable segment by removing bottlenecks like a slow approval process and building domestic capacity to maintain and repair submarine cables, which are crucial for digital communication infrastructure.

Submarine cables connect the country with the rest of the world for internet services.

While speaking at a Broadband India Forum (BIF) event, Bharti Airtel Chief Regulatory Officer Rahul Vatts said it takes around six months for entry of foreign ships that are capable of repairing submarine cables and another 2-3 months to get the work done.

"Fishing trawlers break my cables often. That is the biggest pain point for us. To get a repair ship into India, I need to get approvals which takes six months. It requires a person from the Department of Telecom to be present on the ship. It's a long process. You have to go to the Ministry of Home (affairs), Ministry of Defence. It has been simplified but it still takes 2-3 months," he said.

Vatts said there is a huge problem on the customs department front where there needs to be a clarified zone in which the repair will take place.

"There is also a requirement of flag change. These are small things but very painful for businesses as they are required to be done at a fast pace," Vatts said.

He pointed out that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has given very good recommendations for boosting the submarine cable business but nothing has happened to date on those suggestions.

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti said there has been exponential growth in demand for internet services has led to a corresponding surge in international data tariffs of which submarine cables are the foundation.

He said that there are around 650 submarine cables out of which 570 are in service.

"Submarine cables are vital for digital communication infrastructure. These cables carry 99 per cent of internet traffic and are vital for any country's communication grid. The United Nations in 2010 described them as critical infrastructure. With the change in dynamics of the geopolitical system, these critical infrastructures are new strategic assets and vital for any nation," Lahoti said.

Broadband India Forum (BIF) President TV Ramachandran said that submarine cable systems are key for meeting India's aspirations for growth as digital infrastructure will play in expediting economic growth.

"We need to have domestic capacity for repair of cables and promote ease of doing business. If a hostile nation cuts submarine cable landing in India then we cannot continue to afford to depend on foreign vessels. A small cut by fishing trawlers leads to Rs 15-30 crore repair cost. These all issues need to be addressed," Ramachandran said.

He said that there is a need to have more cable landing stations in the country by providing open access and every state headquarters should be connected with submarine cable through PoP (Point of Presence).

"Everyone is now looking at boosting data centre connectivity which can be connected through optical fibre and not wirelessly. The government needs to look at submarine cables as strategic assets," Ramachandran added.