MTNL launches MPLS IP network in Delhi

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Mahanagar Telecom Nigam Limited, the state-owned telecom company, has announced the launch of its Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS).

The unified MPLS-based IP network will enable MTNL to provide VPN, and Transparent LAN services to customers in the national capital.

Launching the MPLS network here, RSP Sinha, chairman and managing director of MTNL, said that the network will also facilitate the telecom company to launch its futuristic services such as 3G, NGN, WiMax, besides providing a high network for its broadband customers.

“The launch of the MPLS network is an important milestone which will help MTNL to respond dynamically to corporate houses ever-changing demand of data services. The technology will not only ensure consistent performance but also promise to bring down cost, increase reliability and easy scalability, which is comparatively much more complex and expensive in the traditional networks,” he said.

Sinha said that the MPLS technology provided lower latency, easy provisioning higher security and bandwidth. “The service launched by MTNL, if first-of-its-kind in India for providing VPN networks within a city. The services will also be launched in Mumbai shortly,” he informed.

MTNL in 2005 had announced the setting-up of an MPLS network in New Delhi and consecutively Sterlite Optical Technologies was chosen to design, develop and implement the MPLS core, through an open tender system.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Anand Agarwal, chief executive officer of Sterlite Optical Technologies said that the company will implement the future-ready converged network, which it had developed for MTNL in the next two to three months. “With the completion of this network, MTNL would be able to provide a unified platform to launch of its new services like 3G, IPTV and content networks. This network would also enable MTNL to provide VPN and Transparent LAN services to corporate customers in Delhi,” he said.

A K Arora, executive director of MTNL made an elaborate presentation on the technical working of the network. He also highlighted the features and benefits of the new service for corporate customers. “We are targeting at corporate houses, apart from banks, financial institutions, government departments, which will find the services useful,” he added.

While Sterlite Optical will be providing the optical fiber along with Huawei, which it has tied-up for implementation of MPLS network. The project will enable MTNL to add 200, 000 broadband connections in Mumbai and another 500, 00 connections in Delhi. MTNL has a backlog of about 35000 applications for broadband connections in Delhi and Mumbai circles, and sees MPLS as a capacity building measure to take on the competition. MTNL will also introduce Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for the corporate houses, which are likely to sign-in for the services once the network is in place.