Context:
Cabinet approved a ₹1.39 lakh cr worth partnership between BBNL and Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs/Udyamis) for implementing Fibre-to-Home (FTTH) internet connections.
A VLE is a person responsible for managing and operating a Common Service Center (CSC) under the CSC scheme.
About BharatNet:
- Approved as National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) initiative (2011)
- Renamed as BharatNet (2015)
- Aim: To connect all the 2,50,000 Gram Panchayats in the country and provide 100 Mbps connectivity to all Gram Panchayats.
- Objective: Facilitate the delivery of e-governance, e-health, e-education, e-banking, Internet, etc. to rural India.
- Method – Dormant optical fibers (dark fibers) owned by public sector undertakings (PSUs) were employed with additional fibers to establish connections with Gram Panchayats.
- Executed by – Bharat Broadband NetworkLtd.(BBNL) as a special purpose vehicle (SPV).
- Funded by – Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF)
- Implemented by – Department of Telecommunication, Ministry of Communications
USOF is the pool of funds generated by a 5% Universal Service Levy that is charged upon all the telecom fund operators on their Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR).
Optical Fibres:
- Data transmission by – Transmitting light pulses through long strands of thin fibre.
- Preferred Wires – Metal wires
- Working principle – Total Internal Reflection (TIR).
- Uses – To transmit a huge amount of data
What are Dark Fibres?
- Unused optical fibre that has been laid but is not currently being used in fibre-optic communications.
- A ‘dark’ cable refers to one through which light pulses are not being transmitted.
- Also known as unlit fibre.
Source: Economic Times
Previous Year Question
With reference to Visible Light Communication (VLC) technology, which of the following statements are correct?
- VLC uses electromagnetic spectrum wavelengths 375 to 780 nm.
- VLC is known as long-range optical wireless communication.
- VLC can transmit large amounts of data faster than Bluetooth.
- VLC has no electromagnetic interference.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2020 Prelims]
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 1, 2 and 4 only
(c) 1, 3 and 4 only
(d) 2, 3 and 4 only
