Cell phone giants vie for Rs 700-cr BSNL project

Aswathy V

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Global cellular and telecom majors are reportedly vying

with each other to secure rights for implementing Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL’s)

Rs 700 crore-turnkey cellular phone project in South India. Some of the top

contenders include Motorala, Ericsson, AT&T and Siemens. The tenders for the

turnkey project will be announced here on April 16.

Kerala Telecom Circle has been nominated as the nodal circle for implementing

the cellular project in South India by BSNL, according to chief general manager

of Kerala Telecom, P P Ramachandran at a press conference. BSNL proposes to

provide 13.13 lakh connections in the southern region, of which Kerala will

receive 1.25 lakh connections in the first phase.

The project will be implemented on a turnkey basis by the private sector

telecom firms. The tasks will involve planning, procurement of technology,

equipment, testing and implementation of the service. Thereafter it will be

handed over to BSNL, which will then operate the service. The cellular phone

service will be launched in the southern states between October and December

this year, Ramachandran added.

"The tariff rates would be competitive but I cannot reveal the exact

rates now," he said. In Kerala, BSNL would provide two lakh additional

cellular connections in the second phase. The coverage would be extensive with

over 100 cell sites to be installed in various parts. As part of the venture,

Kerala Telecom would be investing around Rs 2,000 crore in 2001-02 as against Rs

800 crore this year.

Kerala Circle has also smoothly changed over from a departmental to a company

structure after the corporatization of the telecom in October. The circle has

also developed accounting software christened ‘SALE’, which is now being

used by other BSNL units for compilation of accounts and preparation of monthly

trial balance.

Kerala Circle has also created a record of sorts in fiber optic connectivity,

with 928 of the 988 exchanges linked to optic fiber network, covering a distance

of 11,000 km. The remaining of which will be covered by this year, he added. The

circle hopes to provide eight lakh connections soon of which Rs 2.38 lakh would

be in wireless in local loop (WLL). This year 4.6 lakh new connections were

provided as against the target of 4.5 lakh.