Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) in close cooperation with BSNL, is celebrating the completion of 25 years of C-DOT RAX at Kittur, Karnataka and its up-gradation to MAX-NG for NGN services, 10:30 AM on August 7, 2012. The main function would be held simultaneously at C-DOT Centers - Delhi, Bangalore and Kittur through Webcast and would be chaired by Shri Kapil Sibal, Hon’ble Minister of Communications and IT, Shri Sam Pitroda, Adviser to the Prime Minister on PIII in Delhi and Members of C-DOT Alumni & BSNL Senior Officials in Bengaluru and Kittur.
The C-DOT exchange at Kittur will be upgraded to MAX-NG to offer NGN (Next Generation Networks) services. NGN refers to an all Internet Protocol (IP) network which gives great operational advantages to the operators and subscribers alike. The up-gradation program will bring VoIP and other broadband services to the aging fixed line infrastructure, comprising of its MAX / RAX switches. C-DOT has also developed NGN, GPON which will build broadband pipes to homes, SOHO's and multi-dwelling units. C-DOT in all these years has been on the technology forefront and significantly contributed to the Indian telecom network digitization, bridging the digital divide between the rural and urban, establishing strong telecom manufacturing infrastructure and employment generations. For the next two-to-three years, C-DOT is focusing on design and developing systems which are of strategic importance to the country.
Often, the real import of an event is realised long after its occurrence, when we have the benefit of hindsight. This is what happened in case of RAX, the first product developed by C-DOT, to go into India’s telecom network at the historic city of Kittur, Karnataka, on 21st July 1986. RAX appeared on the scene at a time when country’s telecom network was way under-developed, to say the least. The tele-density languished at one, that is, one telephone for one hundred inhabitants & rural tele-density was zero for all practical purposes.
The greatest advantage of RAX was that it was designed for Indian conditions of high ambient temperatures, dust and unreliable power. It required no air-conditioning. It was based on contemporary digital switching technology with microprocessor based controllers and had no moving parts, which gave it immunity against dust, the bane of electromechanical Strowger and Crossbar exchanges in India. Named 128 P RAX, it was a tiny 128 ports switch. It had only analog trunks to connect it to a larger exchange in a nearby city. It could cater to a total of 80 subscribers and had 24 analog trunks to connect to the city exchange. But in villages with practically no telephones, 80 was a big number. There must be a large number of villagers who made or received their first ever call through C-DOT RAX.
128 P RAX was successful beyond all expectations. It acquired a legendary status in no time at all. It extended connectivity, including STD, ISD to rural areas. 26 manufacturers went into RAX production. RAX-a-day programme was started by DoT which grew to something like 32 RAXes a day. By March 1993, more than 10000 RAXes had been produced. Other developing countries evinced great interest in RAX and exports to Vietnam, Nepal and Bangladesh followed.
About C-DOT:
C-DOT was founded in August 1984 as a registered Scientific Society of Government of India. It was the culmination of tireless efforts of Mr Sam Pitroda, a telecom wizard with over 55 patents to his credit and then a US based NRI, who convinced the then political leadership (Smt. Indira Gandhi and Shri Rajiv Gandhi) of the need of a home grown telecom technology, best suited to Indian conditions. Recognizing the vital importance of telecom to development and its many multiplier effects, the Government agreed to set up C-DOT with a mandate of developing indigenous telephone switch in 36 months with a budget of Rs 36 crores. Mr Sam Pitroda was selected as the founding Advisor with Shri G B Meemansi as the founding Executive Director and Dr M V Pitke and late Shri D R Mahajan as founding Directors. A core team was formed with engineers from Department of Telecommunications and TIFR. Offices were set up in New Delhi and Bangalore. Bright, young engineers, with a preponderance of IITians, were selected through a rigorous selection process to assemble a team of 300 plus by March 1985 and soon, both Delhi and Bangalore centres were buzzing with hectic, almost round the clock activity.
Starting from the single mission of providing a dial tone, C-DOT has grown, over the last 26 years, to the level of a national centre for Research and Development in communication technology in many areas –Satellite communications, IN, ATM, DWDM, NMS, Wireless Broadband, GPON, NGN and Mobile Cellular systems. The GPON, with NGN in the core, is expected to play a lead role in bringing broadband pipes to rural India. The SG-RAN product, based on sharing of active GSM infrastructure, will bring affordable mobile telephony to the rural market. C-DOT’s umbrella NMS (Network Management System) solutions have made it possible to manage networks with elements from multiple vendors. The Data Clearing House (CLH) solution of C-DOT is commercially deployed for reconciling the roaming records between BSNL and MTNL and is holding its own against competitive pressures of the market. C-DOT is also entrusted with the projects of national importance, like Central Monitoring System for telecom security and Secure Network for strategic applications
Sourced From: Pepper PR
The C-DOT exchange at Kittur will be upgraded to MAX-NG to offer NGN (Next Generation Networks) services. NGN refers to an all Internet Protocol (IP) network which gives great operational advantages to the operators and subscribers alike. The up-gradation program will bring VoIP and other broadband services to the aging fixed line infrastructure, comprising of its MAX / RAX switches. C-DOT has also developed NGN, GPON which will build broadband pipes to homes, SOHO's and multi-dwelling units. C-DOT in all these years has been on the technology forefront and significantly contributed to the Indian telecom network digitization, bridging the digital divide between the rural and urban, establishing strong telecom manufacturing infrastructure and employment generations. For the next two-to-three years, C-DOT is focusing on design and developing systems which are of strategic importance to the country.
Often, the real import of an event is realised long after its occurrence, when we have the benefit of hindsight. This is what happened in case of RAX, the first product developed by C-DOT, to go into India’s telecom network at the historic city of Kittur, Karnataka, on 21st July 1986. RAX appeared on the scene at a time when country’s telecom network was way under-developed, to say the least. The tele-density languished at one, that is, one telephone for one hundred inhabitants & rural tele-density was zero for all practical purposes.
The greatest advantage of RAX was that it was designed for Indian conditions of high ambient temperatures, dust and unreliable power. It required no air-conditioning. It was based on contemporary digital switching technology with microprocessor based controllers and had no moving parts, which gave it immunity against dust, the bane of electromechanical Strowger and Crossbar exchanges in India. Named 128 P RAX, it was a tiny 128 ports switch. It had only analog trunks to connect it to a larger exchange in a nearby city. It could cater to a total of 80 subscribers and had 24 analog trunks to connect to the city exchange. But in villages with practically no telephones, 80 was a big number. There must be a large number of villagers who made or received their first ever call through C-DOT RAX.
128 P RAX was successful beyond all expectations. It acquired a legendary status in no time at all. It extended connectivity, including STD, ISD to rural areas. 26 manufacturers went into RAX production. RAX-a-day programme was started by DoT which grew to something like 32 RAXes a day. By March 1993, more than 10000 RAXes had been produced. Other developing countries evinced great interest in RAX and exports to Vietnam, Nepal and Bangladesh followed.
About C-DOT:
C-DOT was founded in August 1984 as a registered Scientific Society of Government of India. It was the culmination of tireless efforts of Mr Sam Pitroda, a telecom wizard with over 55 patents to his credit and then a US based NRI, who convinced the then political leadership (Smt. Indira Gandhi and Shri Rajiv Gandhi) of the need of a home grown telecom technology, best suited to Indian conditions. Recognizing the vital importance of telecom to development and its many multiplier effects, the Government agreed to set up C-DOT with a mandate of developing indigenous telephone switch in 36 months with a budget of Rs 36 crores. Mr Sam Pitroda was selected as the founding Advisor with Shri G B Meemansi as the founding Executive Director and Dr M V Pitke and late Shri D R Mahajan as founding Directors. A core team was formed with engineers from Department of Telecommunications and TIFR. Offices were set up in New Delhi and Bangalore. Bright, young engineers, with a preponderance of IITians, were selected through a rigorous selection process to assemble a team of 300 plus by March 1985 and soon, both Delhi and Bangalore centres were buzzing with hectic, almost round the clock activity.
Starting from the single mission of providing a dial tone, C-DOT has grown, over the last 26 years, to the level of a national centre for Research and Development in communication technology in many areas –Satellite communications, IN, ATM, DWDM, NMS, Wireless Broadband, GPON, NGN and Mobile Cellular systems. The GPON, with NGN in the core, is expected to play a lead role in bringing broadband pipes to rural India. The SG-RAN product, based on sharing of active GSM infrastructure, will bring affordable mobile telephony to the rural market. C-DOT’s umbrella NMS (Network Management System) solutions have made it possible to manage networks with elements from multiple vendors. The Data Clearing House (CLH) solution of C-DOT is commercially deployed for reconciling the roaming records between BSNL and MTNL and is holding its own against competitive pressures of the market. C-DOT is also entrusted with the projects of national importance, like Central Monitoring System for telecom security and Secure Network for strategic applications
Sourced From: Pepper PR