DoT reviewing introductory tariff of CANI bandwidth

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is currently in the process of reviewing the tariff of CANI bandwidth. DoT’s USOF branch last month constituted a committee for the review the introductory tariff of bandwidth created under submarine optical fibre cable connectivity between Chennai and Andaman & Nicobar Islands (CANI Project).

The committee constituted to review the tariff of the CANI bandwidth held consultations with the telecom service providers on 17th March 2021. DoT last month invited comments from all DoT licensees on existing tariff of bandwidth created CANI project.

As part of the introductory tariff, DoT in order to boost telecom services in Andaman & Nicobar Islands offered a promotional tariff offering bandwidth free of cost for first 90 days from the date of commissioning to all DoT licensees willing to launch services. DoT licensees had to build their own network to connect to PoP locations with no charges payable for bandwidth, AFC, and CLC.

The minimum lease period was two years for bandwidth upto 1 Gbps while for bandwidth more than 1 Gbps it was five years. Post the promotional period the introductory tariff was made applicable.