The telecommunications industry is evolving rapidly, and in the recent development, three major Indian telecom service providers – Reliance Jio Infocomm, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea have reached out to Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL) to utilize its dark fibre. This move is likely to reduce their capital expenditure significantly. The unutilized infrastructure of BBNL will also aid these providers in expanding their footprint in rural India and facilitate 4G and other long-term evolution (LTE) mobile telephony services.
What is Dark Fibre
Dark fibre refers to the unused optical fibre that has already been laid but is not being utilized currently in fibre-optic communications. The term “dark” is used because these fibres are idle with no light pulses being transmitted through them, which typically carry information in optic communications.
These extra optical fibres are laid by companies to circumvent the cost repetition when there is a need for increased bandwidth. Dark fibre can also be referred to as unlit fibre due to its non-usage status.
About Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL)
Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL) is a Government of India initiative set up under the Companies Act, 1956. It operates under the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology with an authorized capital of ₹1000 crore.
In 2011, BBNL was mandated to create the National Optical Fiber Network (NOFN) in India. However, in 2015, NOFN was renamed the BharatNet project.
The Potential Impact of Using Dark Fibre
By leveraging the dark fibre of BBNL, telecom providers like Reliance Jio Infocomm, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea stand to make significant reductions in their capital expenditure. This strategy takes advantage of the existing and unused infrastructure, saving on the cost and resources required for laying new fibre-optic cables.
Moreover, using BBNL’s dark fibre can expand these telecom service providers’ reach in rural India. The enhanced connectivity in these areas will enable an increase in the provision of 4G and other LTE mobile telephony services, thus bridging the digital divide to a certain extent.
The Future with Dark Fibre
The use of dark fibre presents a promising future for both telecom service providers and consumers, especially those based in rural areas. As India aims to expand its digital footprint across all regions, leveraging unused infrastructures like BBNL’s dark fibre can pave the way for affordable and accessible internet services.
Last Modified: February 7, 2024