Agartala, April 4 (TIWN):Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) in the state would be linked with Next Generation Network (NGN) technology.NGN technology will provide both fixed line and broadband from same telephone exchange. The first phase of work likely to start from April or May.

Initially North Gate, Ramnagar, Dhaleshwar and NIT exchange would be linked with NGN, then remaining 80 exchange would be linked. There are 84 exchanges in the state.The voice call on this new technology will be made available at the same rate at which the fixed telephone is made available by BSNL as on date. However, BSNL would like to charge something extra for video calls.

Introduction of this technology will help India to achieve Digital India & Make in India project, Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said during the launch. State-owned telecom service provider (BSNL has introduced Next Generation Network (NGN) technology in its fixed line telephony and plans to invest around Rs.1,000 crore in upgrading the time-division multiplexing (TDM) technology.NGN technology will provide both fixed line and broadband from same telephone exchange.

At present, BSNL plans to convert 14 million telephone lines with NGN technology. This is expected to cover more than 80 percent urban customers and approximately 90 percent rural customers.