To provide better services to the customers, BSNL will install 26 towers in 2007-08 in Kodagu district, BSNL district Principal General Manager S R Chandran.

Addressing a press meet, he said the department is planning to install nine towers each in Madikeri and Somwarpet taluk and eight towers in Virajpet taluk. In Madikeri taluk, mobile towers will be constructed at Nelaji, Kakkabbe, Maragodu, Galibeedu, Makkanduru, Koinadu, Doddapulikotu, Madikeri town (additional); In Somwarpet taluk, the towers will be constructed at Valnooru, Guddehosuru, Kajooru, Abburakatte, Haraga, Gowdalli, Biligeri, Somwarpet (additional); In Virajpet taluk, the mobile towers will be constructed at Birunani, Mayamudi, Kadanga, Kalathodu Baigodu, Parane, Rudraguppe and Virajpet.  Mr Chandran said “wherever, the telephone facility can not be provided through wires, the department is planning to have wireless phone facility. The department is planning to set up CDMA-BTS towers at 11 places.”

CDMA-BTS towers will be installed at Bettageri, Cherambane, Murnadu, Galibeedu in Madikeri, Haraga, Shanivarasanthe, Madapura, 7th Hosakote in Somwarpet, Kottacchimotta, Gonikoppalu and Balele in Virajpet taluk.

Broadband

The broad band services will be provided in 41 telephone exchanges by the end of November. The broad band capacity in Madikeri will be upgraded to 480. This will provide 6,496 broad band services in the district. Broad band services will be provided in Bettageri, Hakathuru, Murnadu, Galibeedu, Kakkabbe, Cherambane, Maragodu, Napoklu, Nelaji, Madapura, Somwarpet, Shanivarasanthe, Kodlipete, Gowdalli, Kajooru, Biligeri, Kushalnagar, Guddehosuru, Koodige, Yedavanadu, Hebbale, Valnooru, 7th Hosakote, Chettalli, Suntikoppa, Rudraguppe, Kakotuparambu, Kadanga, Channayanakote, Maldare, Ammathi, Gonikoppalu, Thithimathi, Balele, Ponnampete, Kutta, Hudikeri, Srimangala, Palibetta and Siddapura.

He informed that the district has 76 BSNL telephone exchanges. All the centres have capacity of 62,968 lines. The district has 35 BTS towers and have 30,503 mobile connections. Of 296 villages, 291 villages have been provided with PCOs.
BSNL has fetched income of Rs 22 crore. Of which 16 crore is being utilised for the expenditure. A sum of Rs one crore will have to be collected from customers.