Covad and CenturyTel invest in DishnetDSL

On March 21, DishnetDSL Limited, provider of Internet access via digital subscriber line (DSL) technology, announced investment in the company by a number of US-based and other international investors. The total investment by these investors adds up to $70 million. The investors include Covad Communications Group Inc., CenturyTel Inc., HSBC Private Equity Funds, Citicorp International Finance Corporation and IQ Investments Ltd.

Covad Communications is the leading US national broadband service provider of high-speed Internet and network access, utilising DSL technology. CenturyTel, Louisiana, the US, is the provider of integrated communications services including local exchange, wireless, long distance, Internet access nd security monitoring services to more than two million customers in 20 states.

DishnetDSL has also entered into an agreement with Covad to license the latter's proprietary operational support system for Dishnet's use in India.  This automated operational support system, based on web interfaces, is used by Covad in the US. The system eliminates many manual processes such as line testing, network path configuration, equipment configuration, order taking and verification, billing and telephone wire supplier management

DishnetDSL is the leading provider of high speed DSL Internet access service and is one of the five largest dial-up access providers in India. The company currently operates its dial-up access service in 25 cities in India and has more than 62,000 subscribers. The company is currently rolling out its DSL service in Mumbai , Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai. It also operates 19 browsing centers in the country.

Dishnet's DSL solution claims to permit download speeds of upto 1.5 Mbps on copper wire.