Alcatel wins Euro 65 m deal in India

BANGALORE: Alcatel has won an order from ITI, telecom equipment company, for the supply and installation of GSM lines to the state-owned BSNL. This contract, valued at about Euro 65 million, covers the expansion of BSNL network in Western India including Gujarat, Maharashtra, MP and Chattisgarh.

The order is the first one following the signature, also announced today, of a long-term collaboration agreement between Alcatel and ITI for the production and deployment in India of Alcatel’s Evolium latest generation GSM solution in order to meet the growing demand for mobile solutions in the country.

In the first phase of this agreement, ITI will deploy the GSM equipment produced by Alcatel, such as wireless switches and base stations. Within a few months, ITI will acquire Alcatel GSM technology to manufacture this equipment under the Alcatel license at the ITI plant in Mankapur.

ITI, CMD, YK Pandey said, "Through our alliance with Alcatel over the past 20 years, ITI has been able to play a key role in building the telecom infrastructure in India. Now, with the introduction of Alcatel’s industry-leading GSM technology, we are able to enter the mobile segment and provide a complete portfolio of mobile solutions to our public and private telecom operators. "

Alcatel India, Managing Director, Ravi Sharma stated, "India is currently a booming telecom market and it is the right time for Alcatel to develop in India, a manufacturing and distribution base for servicing both the local and the regional markets. The long-term collaboration between Alcatel and ITI will contribute to make India self reliant for GSM equipment and will enable Indian mobile operators such as BSNL to provide high quality services to their subscribers".

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