NEW DELHI: Zero-rental landline phones and free broadband service may soon become a reality, said Union telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran. When asked to specify a time frame, he told DNA: “I have two more years.” Maran said he would focus on broadband as aggressively as he did on voice telephony sometime ago through the “One India” tariff plan. Although Maran did not elaborate on what he meant by free broadband, it is believed that unlimited download of data would come for free, with perhaps a nominal monthly fee. The government has set a target of 9 million broadband connections by the end of this year, of which 7 million are expected from Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited. There are 2.3 million broadband customers in India.As for the target in telephony, Maran wants one-fifth of the subscriber base to be in rural areas by 2010. So, out of 500 million phone subscribers targeted by 2010, 100 million would be in rural India, he said. On the future of BSNL and MTNL in view of the dwindling number of landline phone users, he said: “Why should I pay a rental for a landline phone, when I'm already paying for my mobile? MTNL and BSNL will have to provide landline phones without any rentalSource:- DNA