Mobile phones outpace fixed line phones in 2004

The tele density zoomed to over eight per cent last year and mobile phones surpassed the fixed line phones for the first time in 2004.

The year 2004 was a turning point in India's telecom history when mobile phones surpassed the fixed line phones, but the sector witnessed legal battles over grey traffic.

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The consumer was still on the top with mobile phone tariffs touching nadir with schemes like "talk more pay less" virtually breaking all the barriers and the tele density zoomed to over eight per cent at the end of the year from about six per cent in the beginning.

The year saw a new initiative from the Government which came out with a first-ever broadband policy to push Internet penetration in the country and that too at extremely attractive tariffs of about Rs 500 a month for a 256 kbps internet speed for broadband services.

The Finance Minister's budgetary announcement on increasing the FDI limit to 74 per cent from the existing 49 per cent met with opposition from the Left parties, but the Government is confident of sorting out the issue.