Four firms share BSNL WiMax contract
17-12-2009
Gemini emerges the lowest bidder again
BSNL has chosen four firms to implement the second phase of its Rs.1000 crore (Rs10 billion) mobile WiMax project for rural areas.
Gemini Communication (GCL), a Rs 270 crore telecom and networking company, with subsidiary mobile WiMAX equipment manufacturer PointRed Telecom, emerged the lowest bidder. It's share of the contract is Rs 435 crores. The balance will be shared by ZTE, Harris Stratex and Alvarion. Other companies who responded to the contract in August 2009 were Huawei Telecommunications, Samsung and Motorola
The contract involves setting up a mobile Wimax network using base-stations, mostly mounted on BSNL's rural telephone exchanges, as well as supply of a limited number of consumer terminals or modems. Some 7000 mobile WiMax base stations are to be deployed across BSNL networks in India.The network will connect BSNL's common service centres across India for delivering e-governance and commercial broadband services.
BSNL had in January 2009 awarded first phase of the contract, worth Rs 260 crores, to Gemini-PointRed and HCL Infosystems-Huawei. This phase, which involved installing 1100 WiMax base-stations, will be complete by January-end
A year ago BSNL had awarded a WiMax project covering four states (Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa and Andhra Pradesh) to US-based Soma Networks. This was for setting up a Wimax service under a revenue-sharing model. The service is currently operational, mostly in urban areas.
BSNL plans to similar revenue-sharing project targeted at urban areas for other States also. The network will be set up by a private player.
However, for rural areas, and for the two states of Punjab and Kerala, BSNL had decided to put up and manage the networks on its own. It plans to complete the project by December 2010. The first rural service was inaugurated recently. BSNL claimed a speed of 7 Mbps, with a minimum guarantee of 1 Mbps, and its packages start from just Rs 140 per month.
BSNL has chosen four firms to implement the second phase of its Rs.1000 crore (Rs10 billion) mobile WiMax project for rural areas.
Gemini Communication (GCL), a Rs 270 crore telecom and networking company, with subsidiary mobile WiMAX equipment manufacturer PointRed Telecom, emerged the lowest bidder. It's share of the contract is Rs 435 crores. The balance will be shared by ZTE, Harris Stratex and Alvarion. Other companies who responded to the contract in August 2009 were Huawei Telecommunications, Samsung and Motorola
The contract involves setting up a mobile Wimax network using base-stations, mostly mounted on BSNL's rural telephone exchanges, as well as supply of a limited number of consumer terminals or modems. Some 7000 mobile WiMax base stations are to be deployed across BSNL networks in India.The network will connect BSNL's common service centres across India for delivering e-governance and commercial broadband services.
BSNL had in January 2009 awarded first phase of the contract, worth Rs 260 crores, to Gemini-PointRed and HCL Infosystems-Huawei. This phase, which involved installing 1100 WiMax base-stations, will be complete by January-end
A year ago BSNL had awarded a WiMax project covering four states (Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa and Andhra Pradesh) to US-based Soma Networks. This was for setting up a Wimax service under a revenue-sharing model. The service is currently operational, mostly in urban areas.
BSNL plans to similar revenue-sharing project targeted at urban areas for other States also. The network will be set up by a private player.
However, for rural areas, and for the two states of Punjab and Kerala, BSNL had decided to put up and manage the networks on its own. It plans to complete the project by December 2010. The first rural service was inaugurated recently. BSNL claimed a speed of 7 Mbps, with a minimum guarantee of 1 Mbps, and its packages start from just Rs 140 per month.
