USO

USOF means Universal Service Obligation Fund. The main vision of USOF is enabling rural Indians to accomplish their fullest potential and participate productively in the development of the nation by virtue of being effectively connected through a reliable and omnipresent telecommunications network, access to which is within their reach & within their means.

 

Objective

          Economic: Network extension & stimulate uptake of the ICT services

Social: Mainstreaming the underserved & un-served areas/groups by bridging the Access Gap.

 

 

Political: to enable citizens exercise their political rights in an informed way and

 

Constitutional: Equitable distribution of the fruits of the telecom/digital revolution and fair allocation of national resource (pooled USO levy) via targeted subsidies.

 

 ONGOING SCHEMES

1.      Bharat Net Project (earlier NOFN) by BBNL

2.    Provision of Mobile Services in Identified Uncovered Villages        alongwith National Highways by M/s Bharti        Airtel

3.      25000 Public Wi Fi Hotspots at Telephone Exchanges of BSNL in         Rural Areas

4.      Wi-Fi Hotspots at 200 Rural Railway Stations as a Pilot Project          by M/s Railtel

 

 

1.       NOFN/BHARAT NET INTRODUCTION

The Government approved the proposal of Bharat Net Project (earlier NOFN) on February 25, 2014 to provide high speed internet and connectivity to 2.5 lakhs GPs in India by utilizing USO Funds and creating institutional mechanism for management and operation of NOFN in a non-discriminatory manner. Among 2.5 Lakhs GPs, there are 1622 GPs in Assam Circle.

 

2.       PROVISION OF MOBILE SERVICES IN IDENTIFIED UNCOVERED          VILLAGES             ALONGWITH NATIONAL HIGHWAYS BY M/S BHARTI       AIRTEL

The agreement for provisioning of Mobile Services in Indentified Uncovered Villages alongwith National Highways in Assam was signed between President of India and                 M/s Bharti Airtel Ltd on 08/12/2017. Total No. of sites are 983. The main objective of the scheme is to provide financial support from USO fund for provision of Mobile coverage in Telecom service in specified uncovered villages and seamless mobile coverage alongwith National Highways.

 

3.     25000 PUBLIC WI FI HOTSPOTS AT TELEPHONE EXCHANGES OF BSNL IN RURAL AREAS

The objective of the scheme is to Set up of 25000 Wi-Fi Hotspots at BSNL Exchanges around the country. In Assam Circle there are 395 sites.

 

 4.      WI-FI HOTSPOTS AT 200 RURAL RAILWAY STATIONS AS A PILOT PROJECT

Wi-fi Hotspots are to be installed in 200 Railway Stations out of which 10 stations are in Assam Circle. They are Kokrajhar, Goalpara Town, Mariani Jn., Chaparmukh, Rangapara, Bhojo, Dekargaon, Dudhnoi, Lanka and Furkating. Railtel will provide broadband internet access. The target end user devices would be kiosks, smartphones, tablets etc. The project aims to test the robustness and feasibility and commercial viability of the model.

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Ongoing USOF Schemes

Sl. No.

Name of  the Scheme                    

No. of Site mentioned in Scheme/Agreement for  commisioning

Total No. of sites Commissioned

1

To provide seamless, uninterrupted 2G connectivity in identified uncovered villages along with National Highways in Assam”

983

431

2

Provision of 4G based Mobile Services in Identified Uncovered villages in Two Districts of Assam (Karbi Anglong & Dima Hasao)”

691

73

3

Operation and Maintenance, First Line Maintenance of BharatNet Phase-I Network.” w.e.f. 29th Aug’2022 to 30th Jun’23 & 30th Jun’24

 

134

134