OVERVIEW

Introduction to broadband
Broadband is a term that is used consistently with different types of Internet connections. Generally, it is referred to Internet connections over fiber optic cables rather than telephone lines. Broadband in telecommunications means a wide range of frequencies that are available to transmit information. This eventually means that, wider the range of frequencies available, higher the amount of information that can be sent at any given point of time. For an easy way to picture a broadband Internet connection compared to a narrowband Internet connection, think of a road highway. With an one-lane highway (narrowband), only one car can travel at a time, however, with broadband you can have a highway with 6 or 8 lanes, allowing more traffic to pass concurrently.

Existing Technologies in Broadband

There are a few types of broadband connections available, some are faster than others and some are more expensive than others to use. Your need, budget and availability will usually determine which type of broadband Internet connection is right for you. They types of broadband Internet connections are: Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) Symmetric Digital Subscriber Line (SDSL) Cable Wireless Satellite Leased Lines

Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) ADSL is a popular broadband media for both commercial and residential Internet users in America. Most probably, anyone with a normal telephone line can usually purchase ADSL connection from their telephone provider. ADSL works via normal phone lines. One can usually talk on the normal telephone even if you simultaneously surf the Internet via the same telephone line. Speeds of ADSL vary, but are usually in the range of 128Kbps to over 5 Mbps when downloading data. Uploading is much slower, usually about 56K to 1 or 2 Mbps depending on the configuration. A normal dial-up modem works usually at 56Kbps. The fastest ADSL broadband connection can deliver speeds that can be up to 89 times faster or more. It is also important to note that ADSL is usually marketed as DSL to make the name of the product sound less confusing and compact. ADSL usually costs from about $30 to $60 per month.

Symmetric Digital Subscriber Line (SDSL) SDSL is very similar to DSL service, in a way that it is also provided by your telephone company over preexisting telephone lines, however, SDSL has upload speeds that are the same as download speeds. For example, if you have 1Mbps download, you will also have 1Mbps upload speed. It is important to note that SDSL requires an additional phone line for this service to work properly. However, for most businesses, it is well worth the expense. SDSL can be more costly than ADSL and can cost from about $60 to $100 per month or more for residential customers.

Cable If you have cable TV, you already know that TV signals are piped in through the cable running from the cable company into your home. Your Internet broadband connection runs via these preexisting cables. Cable broadband is a very popular product in America and in some markets much more popular than ADSL. Speeds of cable broadband vary, but are usually from 2 Mbps to over 8 Mbps. Download speeds are much faster than upload speeds and the cost is very similar to ADSL.

Wireless Just like wireless telephones transmit data from one phone to another, so can wireless broadband. While it is not as popular due to the availability and newness of the technology, it is becoming more widespread. Usually all that is required is to connect your wireless phone to your laptop computer, essentially making your mobile phone a wireless modem. Speeds vary, but you can usually find speeds from 128 Kbps to about 2 Mbps for downloading data. Expect this technology to boom in the coming years and for speeds to increase as well. Prices also vary, but range from about $60 to about $200. Satellite Satellite broadband is usually one of the only ways to receive broadband Internet access if you live in a rural area. You use a satellite dish with some special hardware to receive and send data to a satellite in earth's orbit. This service is usually more expensive than others, not only requiring a special satellite dish and special equipment, but also higher fees than cable or ADSL options. Usually speeds vary from 128kbs to about 2 Mbps.

Leased Lines Leased lines are usually the answer for large businesses and organizations such as colleges and universities. They are large cables (usually fiber optic) that carry large loads of data. While the first leased lines sometimes referred to as T-1 lines carried about 1.5 Mbps several decades ago, today's leased lines approach half a gigabyte or more per second. The cost varies, based on many factors and its use for residential consumers is usually very cost prohibitive.

Current Scenario of Broadband industry in India

India has the world's third largest Internet users with over 100 million users (of whom 40 million use the Internet via mobile phones) as of December 2010. Internet penetration in India is one of the lowest in the world which is 8.4% of the population, compared to other nations like United States, Japan or South Korea where Internet penetration is significantly higher than in India.

The number of broadband connections in India has seen a continuous growth since the beginning of 2006. As of June 2011, total broadband Internet users in the country have reached 12.32 million constituting 0.9% of the population.[4] India ranks one of the lowest providers of broadband speed as compared countries such as Japan, South Korea and France. After economic liberalization in 1992, many private ISPs have entered the market, many with their own local loop and gateway infrastructures. BSNL/MTNL has continued to dominate the market because of its massive copper infrastructure present across the nation.

The current definition of Broadband in India is speeds of 256 kbit/s. TRAI on Dec 2010 has recommended raising this limit to 512 kbit/s. The bulk of Broadband consumers in India fall in this category. Internet speed above 2 Mbits in India is still in a nascent stage. It forms a very low percentage of users as of now. But it is estimated that the number is bound to increase manifold in coming years. Many operators provide such type of plans. Operators based on ADSL/VDSL in India generally have speeds up to 24 Mbit max while those based on newer Optical Fiber technology offer up to 100Mbits in some plans Fiber-optic communication.

India broadband growth has been plagued by many problems. Complicated tariff structure, metered billing, High charges for right of way, Lack of domestic content, non implementation of Local-loop unbundling have all resulted in hindrance to the growth of broadband in India.

MARKETING
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments. It is an integrated process through which companies build strong customer relationships and create value for their customers and for themselves. Marketing is used to identify the customer, satisfy the customer, and keep the customer. With the customer as the focus of its activities, marketing management is one of the major components of business management. Marketing evolved to meet the stasis in developing new markets caused by mature markets and overcapacities in the last 2-3 centuries The adoption of marketing strategies requires businesses to shift their focus from production to the perceived needs and wants of their customers as the means of staying profitable. The term marketing concept holds that achieving organizational goals depends on knowing the needs and wants of target markets and delivering the desired satisfactions. It proposes that in order to satisfy its organizational objectives, an organization should anticipate the needs and wants of consumers and satisfy these more effectively than competitors. EEMENTS OF MARKETING MIX The 4 Ps Elements of the marketing mix are often referred to as the "Four 'P's", a phrase used since the 1960's
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Product

It is a tangible good or an intangible service that is mass produced or manufactured on a large scale with a specific volume of units. Intangible products are service based like the tourism industry & the hotel industry or codes-based products like cell phone load and credits. Typical examples of a mass produced tangible object are the motor car and the disposable razor. A less obvious but ubiquitous mass produced service is a computer operating system. Packaging also needs to be taken into consideration. Every product is subject to a life-cycle including a growth phase followed by an eventual period of decline as the product approaches market saturation. To retain its competitiveness in the market, product differentiation is required and is one of the strategies to differentiate a product from its competitors.

Price The price is the amount a customer pays for the product. The business may increase or decrease the price of product if other stores have the same product.

Place Place represents the location where a product can be purchased. It is often referred to as the distribution channel. It can include any physical store as well as virtual stores on the Internet.

Promotion Promotion represents all of the communications that a marketer may use in the marketplace. Promotion has four distinct elements: advertising, public relations, personal selling and sales promotion. A certain amount of crossover occurs when promotion uses the four principal elements together, which is common in film promotion. Advertising covers any communication that is paid for, from cinema commercials, radio and Internet adverts through print media and billboards. Public relations are where the communication is not directly paid for and includes press releases, sponsorship deals, exhibitions, conferences, seminars or trade fairs and events. Word of mouth is any apparently informal communication about the product by ordinary individuals, satisfied customers or people specifically engaged to create word of mouth momentum. Sales staff often plays an important role in word of mouth and Public Relations (see Product above).

EXTENDED MARKETING MIX The Extended 3 Ps

People An essential ingredient to any service provision is the use of appropriate staff and people. Recruiting the right staff and training them appropriately in the delivery of their service is essential if the organisation wants to obtain a form of competitive advantage. Consumers make judgments and deliver perceptions of the service based on the employees they interact with. Staff should have the appropriate interpersonal skills, aptititude, and service knowledge to provide the service that consumers are paying for. Many British organisations aim to apply for the Investors In People accreditation, which tells consumers that staff are taken care off by the company and they are trained to certain standards.

Process Refers to the systems used to assist the organization in delivering the service. Imagine you walk into Burger King and you order a Whopper Meal and you get it delivered within 2 minutes. What was the process that allowed you to obtain an efficient service delivery? Banks that send out Credit Cards automatically when their customer s old one has expired again require an efficient process to identify expiry dates and renewal. An efficient service that replaces old credit cards will foster consumer loyalty and confidence in the company.

Physical Evidence Where is the service being delivered? Physical Evidence is the element of the service mix which allows the consumer again to make judgments on the organization. If you walk into a restaurant your expectations are of a clean, friendly environment. On an aircraft if you travel first class you expect enough room to be able to lay down! Physical evidence is an essential ingredient of the service mix; consumers will make perceptions based on their sight of the service provision which will have an impact on the organizations perceptual plan of the service.

Any organization, before introducing its products or services into the market; conducts a market survey. The sequence of all 'P's as above is very much important in every stage of product life cycle Introduction, Growth, Maturity and Decline.

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