Question

_______ formally launched the first publicly available internet service for India in August 1995.
1. VSNL
2. Aircel
3. Airtel
4. BSNL

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 1 : VSNL

The correct answer is VSNL.

• Internet in India was started by Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited.
  • During its initial phase, the Internet was available only to the educational and research community.
  • Internet was publicly available from 15th August 1995.
  • The first publicly available internet service in India was launched by Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL).
  • Gateway Internet Access Service (GIAS) is the internet service launched by Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited.
  • At its initial phase, the speed of the internet available in India was 9.6 kbit/s.

• Videsh Sanchar Niger Ltd:
  • ​Tata Group had acquired Videsh Sanchar Niger Ltd. It was renamed Tata Communications on 13 February 2008.
  • Prior to the disinvestment of the firm by the government in 2002, VSNL was a monopoly player in the international long-distance market.
  • In February 2002, the Government of India, as per their disinvestments plan, sold 25% of their holding in the company to the strategic partner.
  • Consequently, the company was taken over under the administrative control of TATA.​
• ​Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited:
  • ​BSNL is India’s oldest communication service provider whose history has a trace back to the British era in the 19th century, and It was the first telegraph line during the British period that got established in 1851, in earlier it was connected to a part of erstwhile Postal and Telegraph Department.
  • The Government of India made telecom and telegraph services into a corporation in October 2000 and named it Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited.
  • Pravin Kumar Purwar is current Chairman/Managing Director at Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd.