Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is planning to increase its total bandwidth up to 1 Gbps in Andaman and Nicobar islands by December 2015. To this end, it plans to build one new satellite Earth Station at Shadipur.

Further,  an additional 50 mbps satellite bandwidth is likely to be added in July 2015 which will take total satellite connectivity to 528 mbps against the targeted bandwidth of 500 mbps by August 2015.

According to BSNL, once the facility at Shadipur becomes functional, the islands will witness substantial improvement in connectivity. Meanwhile, a second optical fibre cable (OFC) network between Port Blair to Diglipur has been planned to be laid during 2015-16, which will minimise the frequent breakdown of telecom services in the region.

Apart from these initiatives, the detailed project report (DPR) for laying of OFC from mainland to Port Blair and from Port Blair to Campbell Bay via Hut Bay, Carnicobar and Kamorta, has been submitted to the Department of Telecommunications. This is likely to be approved by December 2015 and the project will likely be completed in two years time from the date of the award of the work.