UTStarcom wins major contract to support broadband Internet access in India

HONG KONG: UTStarcom announced a $24 million contract to support a major network enhancement for one of India's leading telecom service providers. The deal bolsters UTStarcom's position in India which has always been an important market for UTStarcom and its market-leading broadband equipment.

UTStarcom will supply multi-service access network (MSAN) equipment and support design, engineering and installation for Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (BSNL), a major telecom incumbent. BSNL is upgrading its network to offer Next Generation Multi-Media Services to its customers.

The upgrade entails migrating existing PSTN/ISDN customers to Next Generation Network (NGN) to enable supplementary services using Internet Protocol along with basic telephony. The upgrade will cover broadband lines for a wide swath of residential and enterprise customers across western and northern regions of India that include large urban centers such as Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakand and Chattisgargh.

UTStarcom is working with ITI Ltd, one of India's leading telecommunication equipment makers, for the BSNL network upgrade.