India: National Optical Fiber Network (NOFN)

Shri Kapil Sibal, Minister of Communication and Information Technology in India said the Telecom Commission has proposed to create the National Optical Fiber Network (NOFN) that would which will extend the country's existing fiber optic network.

According to Sibal, the fist part of the project is estimated to cost US$4.5 billion and would be funded by the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF). He added that private sector is expected to make similar investment to complement the infrastructure and to provide services to users.

"The proposed NOFN will enable effective and faster implementation of various mission mode e-governance projects amounting to approx 500 billion Indian rupee (US$11.25 billion) initiated by Department of Information Technology as well as delivery of a whole range of electronic services in the above areas by the private sector to citizen in rural areas," stated Shri Kapil Sibal.