Press Release : Connection to LINX Leads to Significant Growth for Bhutan Telecom
In 2008 Bhutan Telecom (BTL) announced that it was the first company from that country ever to provide international access using optical fibre cable. The commissioning of this international fibre link extending from Phuentsholing to a PoP at Telehouse East in London via Mumbai was considered a landmark achievement compared to their first international telecommunication link through a satellite system in the early 1990s.
Connection to LINX Leads to Significant Growth for Bhutan Telecom
In 2008 Bhutan Telecom (BTL) announced that it was the first company from that country ever to provide international access using optical fibre cable.The commissioning of this international fibre link extending from Phuentsholing to a PoP at Telehouse East in London via Mumbai was considered a landmark achievement compared to their first international telecommunication link through a satellite system in the early 1990s.
Having access to the International optical fibre link is equivalent to Bhutan having access to a sea port (the country is land locked) and opens a wide range of opportunities in the ICT sector.Without this link, planning any ICT based activities in the country would have been meaningless.To help overcome these issues BTL took the decision to join LINX.
To begin with BTL used a DS-3 (45 Mbps) link to the exchange and have since expanded this capacity to STM-1 (155 Mbps) with effect from January 2010. BTL now has an established PoP and is peering with several Internet Service Providers while also availing IP Transit Services from the Tier 1 ISPs.
In addition to the 310 Mbps bandwidth on fibre, BTL has about 10 Mbps of Satellite bandwidth. Bhutan has a population of just 690,000, but with some 40,000 Internet users, it means it has a bit rate per inhabitant of 464 bits per person. For Internet users this grows to 8 Kbps per person.
With the international bandwidth expansion completed, BTL are focusing on its DSL broadband operations.Their DSL service was first established at the beginning of 2008 with the commissioning of fibre link to LINX.As of today, Bhutan Telecom has installed DSL broadband in 28 locations across the country covering 16 of the country’s 20 districts.
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Tshering Norbu of Bhutan Telecom said: “Our connection to LINX means we are now able to provide an overall bandwidth total of 320 Mbps for international Internet links. Considering Bhutan’s size and population it means the country potentially has one the highest international Internet bandwidth levels per inhabitant and Internet user in the world.”
Bhutan Telecom CEO,Thinley Dorji, added: “Having access to the Internet over the global fibre network is of the utmost importance to the whole country.We talk of promoting IT Parks, Call Centers and other IT related industries in our country as possible providers of employment to our youth. Our upgraded capacity and connection to LINX will play an important part in making this a reality.”the commissioning of fibre link to LINX.As of today, Bhutan Telecom has installed DSL broadband in 28 locations across the country covering 16 of the country’s 20 districts.
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LINX Chief Executive Office, John Souter, added:“With over 50 countries represented at the exchange and membership covering so many differing network types, LINX can justly claim to have widest reach of any exchange point anywhere. It is gratifying to see that our members are benefitting greatly from connecting at LINX and we hope many more organisations can see the benefits of doing likewise.”
