State-run telecom service provider Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd has placed an advance purchase order with Huawei of China on mobile equipment for 20 million GSM lines in the south zone. The PSU is also in advanced negotiations with Ericsson for the north and east zone.
India's public sector telecom operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd plans to roll out triple play broadband services by January 2007, starting with the cities of Pune and Chennai.
"The aim is to build a network of around 30,000 broadband kiosks across India within a period of two years. We will set up the kiosks through franchisee in rural areas," a senior BSNL official said on Monday.
BSNL started rolling out 3G services in north and east zones in February 2009, gradually expanding it to 113 cities. It had garnered a total subscriber base of 10,733 during the first four months itself. Initially, there was less coverage in the cities. That was gradually improved to cover entire cities. Also, at the time of the launch, only four services were available -- video calling, video conferencing, mobile TV and mobile broadband.
Whatever the figure, it is obvious that the IPO will now have to be put on the backburner, after the company's disastrous results. The estimates are that when the company finally declares its accounts for 2008-09, it will be left with a profit of a few hundred crore rupees, down from over Rs 3,000 crore (Rs 30 billion) in the previous year (and that was less than half that in the year before).
"There is no plan to disinvest in BSNL," Telecom Secretary J S Sarma told reporters
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd on Thursday said it will add 46,000 broadband connections in a month to finish the current fiscal with 85,000 broadband customers in Maharashtra and Goa circles.
State-owned telecom service provider Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd on Thursday said it has slashed its local and STD rates by 50 per cent allowing rural users to make calls at 40 paise per minute.
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd's goal to reach the one million subscriber base target in broadband services by 2005 end looks remote if numbers are any indication.
In a move that might further reduce call tariffs and serve as a major incentive to telecom operators, the government is likely to recommend that Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd must charge levy from private operators on revenue share.
Defending the continuation of Universal Service Obligation support, a fund to subsidise unprofitable operations of otherwise profit making telecom PSUs like BSNL, the government on Tuesday said USO exists for all players and not for BSNL alone.
A major breakdown at Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd's mobile switching unit, due to a power surge, on Monday disrupted nearly 300,000 BSNL Cellone mobile connections in Chennai, causing anxiety among the subscribers.
State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd will start offering video conferencing services in next few weeks.
State-run telecom public sector undertaking Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd on Thursday announced an investment of a whopping Rs 78,000 crore (Rs 780 billion) in next three years to expand its mobile, basic and broadband operations across the country.
The government on Thursday broached plans for the public listing of telecom giant Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd with its workers, but neither the proposal nor an offer of ESOPs found any takers.
In a bonanza to its landline subscribers in urban areas, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd has reduced the registration charges for new connections in urban areas from Rs 2000 to Rs 500.
State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) may be back on track with its plans for an initial public offer (IPO). The public sector enterprise has placed a proposal for approval of the IPO to its trade union and it expects a positive response by June 3.
Following a directive from the Delhi high court, Reliance Infocomm has deposited Rs 40 crore (Rs 400 million) with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd
The Delhi high court has asked BSNL to maintain a status quo on the question of interconnect agreement with Reliance Infocomm.
In a move to build up the telecommunication network in Jammu and Kashmir, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd would provide telephone connections based on wireless in local loop technology in Jammu and Kashmir, a company spokesman said.
The government believes the listing especially of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited would help improve the company's image and promote its growth. BSNL sources said there will not be any fresh equity, but only offloading by the government. The company will not get any proceeds from the IPO.
Telecom Regulatory Authority said on Friday that it is planning to cut access deficit charge for incoming international calls to Rs 2 a minute from the prevailing Rs 4.25 per minute.
Sikkim, one of the tiniest and youngest members of the Indian union, has earned the distinction of being a state with the highest mobile phone density in the country.
The IPO exercise is likely to begin in 2-3 months and will be completed within a year, BSNL said.
Eight telecom equipment suppliers including Nokia, Motorola, Alcatel, Nortel and Ericsson on Tuesday submitted bids for supplying 1.1 million cellular lines worth upto Rs 5,000 crore of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd.
State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd on Wednesday indicated a reduction of upto 15 per cent in international long distance call rates especially for the US and UK.
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd has decided to expand mobile telephony network in Jammu and Kashmir by 100,000 more connections to meet the growing demand.
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