Net links cross 1 mn mark -- Nasscom
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

MUMBAI, JUYL 24: There was a pending demand for about one million Internet connections in the country, and the steps to improve bandwidth and enabling net access through cable televisions were likely to boost the figure to 11 million connections by 2003-end, Nasscom president Dewang Mehta told reporters here today.

The number of Net users by 2003-end would be 23 million against about four million now, he added. By March 2001, more than 80 private Internet service providers (ISPs) would be fully operational, and 12 private international gateways for Internet were expected to be in place by then, he said.

``The increase of over eight lakh subscribers in India from 1.7 lakh connections in November 1998 can be attributed to the private ISP policy announced by the Centre,'' he said.

The survey conducted in June-July 2000, also found that over 81 per cent of the personal computers sold during the fiscal 1999-2000 were Net-enabled and that capital cities (Delhi and state capitals) today accounted for 77 per cent of Net connectivity, Mehta added.

Internet was also expected to drive growth in E-commerce by improving performance along cost, quality and time dimensions, he said adding in a bid to boost this sector Nasscom was organising `E-biz India-2000' a conference and expo on July 27 and 28.

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