Key Highlights
- National Broadband Mission 2.0 targets the remaining 1.7 lakh villages, aiming for 60 % rural broadband penetration with a baseline speed of 100 Mbps.
- Sanchar Saathi, a cross‑platform mobile app, equips users to flag fraudulent communications, audit owned connections, block stolen devices and verify handset authenticity.
- Intra‑Circle Roaming (ICR) launched at Digital Bharat Nidhi‑funded 4G towers enables subscribers of BSNL, Airtel and Reliance to share a single tower’s capacity.
- Both initiatives reinforce India’s agenda of digital inclusion and telecom‑level security.
Detailed Insights
The Department of Telecommunications unveiled a two‑pronged strategy on 17 January 2025. Building on NBM 1.0’s deployment of roughly 8 lakh towers and a surge in broadband subscriptions from 66 crore to 94 crore, NBM 2.0 seeks to bridge the last‑mile gap in the country’s most remote hamlets. By supplying fixed‑line broadband capable of delivering a minimum of 100 Mbps, the mission aspires to bring at least six out of ten rural households online, thereby narrowing the digital divide and fostering inclusive economic growth.
Simultaneously, the Sanchar Saathi application—available on Android and iOS—offers a suite of consumer‑centric security tools. Users can directly report suspected fraudulent calls or SMS (SFC), inventory and manage all mobile connections registered in their name, instantly block lost or stolen devices, and authenticate the genuineness of handsets before purchase. These functionalities are intended to combat telecom fraud, safeguard personal data, and enhance overall ecosystem trust.
Complementing these measures, the DoT inaugurated Intra‑Circle Roaming (ICR) at Digital Bharat Nidhi‑financed 4G sites. This model permits a subscriber to tap into a shared 4G infrastructure regardless of the service provider, granting greater flexibility and network resilience across BSNL, Airtel and Reliance networks.
Key Concepts
- National Broadband Mission 2.0 (NBM 2.0): A government‑led program aiming to extend high‑speed broadband to the unfinished 1.7 lakh villages, with a target of 60 % rural household coverage at ≥100 Mbps.
- Sanchar Saathi Application: A mobile‑based security platform that facilitates fraud reporting, connection management, device blocking, and handset authenticity verification.
- Intra‑Circle Roaming (ICR): A framework allowing multiple telecom operators to share a single DBN‑funded 4G tower, enabling seamless cross‑carrier access for end‑users.