Telecommunications Consultants India Limited (TCIL) is eyeing the fourth generation or 4G equipment deployment and enhancement of 2G and 3G networks by Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) as a major opportunity. Rajiv Gupta, Chairman, TCIL, said, “We are open to participating in BSNL tender, and are also in discussions. We can do (bid) together with a prospective partner and have necessary expertise”. He also added that the company would put in efforts to support domestic companies as a part of Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) program.
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State-run BSNL’s switch to the next generation of networks is considered to be a major business opportunity for homegrown network vendors as well as public sector companies such as ITI Limited which has already expressed its keen interest to bid for the telco’s upcoming 4G equipment upgrade and deployment orders worth nearly Rs 10,000 crores.
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BSNL, as a part of phase - IX network expansion, wanted to upgrade as many as 49,300 sites to 4G in addition to 7,000 new sites in two metropolitans – Delhi and Mumbai for counterpart Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL).
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Following the allegations from domestic companies led by the Delhi-based Telecom Equipment and Services Export Promotion Council (Tepc), the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has asked the state-controlled operator to scrap the request for proposal (RFP) it floated on March 23, and constituted an expert committee to rework the tender's terms and conditions.
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The DoT’s committee has recently recommended BSNL using core networks from domestic companies besides blocking investment in 2G altogether which though continues to contribute as much as 60% revenue to the state-run telco.
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ITI Limited has recently entered into alliances with system integrators – Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Tech Mahindra, and is expecting to bag mega order from India’s fourth-largest telecom service provider. ITI has already advanced its discussions with local vendors to deploy next-generation gear upgradable to fifth generation or 5G, for the state-owned telco.
