Convergence: Triple play broadband

07 July 2005

India is speeding towards the broadband revolution, says Sudhir Narang*, senior VP, service provider and government, Cisco Systems, India & SAARC.

After wireless, broadband is expected to be the next big revolution to sweep India. The day isn''t far away when Indian consumers will have access to triple play broadband at their doorstep - whether home or office.

Globally, broadband remains hot. Estimates by Ovum put broadband connections at 140 million this year, while Yankee Group says that number could well pass 325 million by 2008. South Korea has the led the global broadband revolution and is a classic example of how the technology can positively impact the economy of a nation.

From India''s perspective, broadband is the ideal technology platform to connect a geographically diverse country and to deliver the promise of convergence, if India is to continue to develop and progress in today''s information-based global economy. The possibilities are immense and include distance learning, telemedicine, quality entertainment and more productive enterprises among others, all of which will drive economic growth further.

Though broadband is still nascent in India the initial indications are encouraging, with the government working with the industry to put in place a broadband policy. Let''s take a closer look at what broadband has to offer to India.

Impact of Broadband on the Indian economy
Triple play broadband holds immense potential for India. Imagine the possibilities - video conferencing can connect far-flung offices and also enable distance education; tele-medicine can bring medical attention to remote rural areas, video on demand can time-shift entertainment to suit our convenience, voice over IP can bring telephony costs down even further, enterprises can access business applications centrally increasing overall productivity, online gaming and other applications and services can spawn new domestic industries thanks to India''s entrepreneurial spirit among other things.

Broadband will attract new foreign investments, create job opportunities, provide access to new and improved services and increase productivity through infrastructure creation, All these factors will collectively help India develop and progress as a nation and aid in bridging the great digital divide that exists in the Country.