By IANS,
New Delhi: Key facts and figures presented by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Communications Minister Kapil Sibal to show how the telecom policy of not auctioning airwaves, or spectrum, helped improve tele-density and slashed tariffs:
-In March 2004, tele-density in rural areas was 1.55 percent, in urban areas it was 20.5 percent and the national average was 7.7 percent
-In December 2010, tele-density jumped to 31.18 percent for rural areas, 66 percent for urban areas and 47 percent nationally
-In 1999, average telecom tariff was almost Rs.17 (45 cents) per minute
-In 2004, it had come down to about Rs.3 (6 cents) per minute in 2004
-In 2011, it is 30 paise (less than a cent) per minute
-As on Dec 31, 2004, total telephone subscriber base was at 92 million
-As on Dec 31, 2010, total telephone subscriber base reached 787.28 million