BSNL shortlists Alcatel-Lucent, ZTE for network infra

NEW DELHI, INDIA: State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) Friday said that it has shortlisted ZTE and Alcatel-Lucent to supply network infrastructure for 5.5 million GSM lines.

"The technical bids have been opened and the financial bids are also open," BSNL chairman and managing director Gopal Das told reporters on the sidelines of India Telecom Summit 2010.

According to Das, BSNL will take a decision on the winning bid by March.

This bidding is part of its expansion plans wherein it plans to add 3.37 million lines in north India and 2.13 million lines in the eastern region.

Apart from Alcatel-Lucent and ZTE, Huawei Technologies and Nokia Siemens had also submitted their bids to BSNL.