Unfair to mandate local 4G equipment for BSNL while Airtel, Jio deploy Huawei, Ericsson & Samsung equipment

A coalition of employee groups from Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) said it would be incorrect for the Center to require the deployment of local equipment in the state telecommunications network, while private operators such as Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio continue to procure equipment. multinationals like Huawei, Ericsson, Nokia and Samsung.

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi dated May 5, viewed by ETT, all unions and associations of BSNL (AUAB) said: “It will be unfair to ask BSNL alone to buy local 4G equipment, largely untested, while leaving private players to provide services with equipment provided by global giants like Nokia, Ericsson, Huawei and Samsung.

The development approached justification notices by the Ministry of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and the Ministry of Telecommunications at BSNL on the establishment of restrictive conditions in a call for tenders. offers published on March 23 for the purchase of fourth generation or 4G.

The letter from the union group BSNL has further intensified a fierce struggle between local businesses and multinational suppliers, the former alleging that the common carrier of telecommunications was biased in floating the tender to exclude businesses local.

According to the AUAB, Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea procure new generation equipment from any national supplier, but only from multinational companies because they do not have world-class 4G equipment and their products are not tested.

It will be unfair to direct BSNL alone to buy local 4G equipment, which is largely untested, while letting private players provide services with equipment provided by global giants like Nokia, Ericsson, Huawei and Samsung.-AUAB

The confederation has further stated that BSNL should not be forced to purchase 4G equipment under the Make in India policy, as its competitors continue to deploy networks based on proven technology from multinationals.

Earlier, the Delhi-based Telecom Equipment Promotion Council (Tepc) said that the state-controlled company had committed a “very serious violation of public procurement policy” in 2017, and that no national company had been consulted before launching the tender which could be disastrous. the Centre’s ambitious Make in India program.

The former telecommunications secretary, the group led by Shyamal Ghosh, also raised security concerns by sourcing equipment from multinationals, particularly Chinese companies, while AUAB called it wrong excuse.

BSNL groups, however, blamed the local business pressure group for derailing BSNL’s launch of next generation commercial services and said attempts have been made to scuttle supply of BSNL 4G equipment, and the telecom could not afford to delay further.

Last October, the Cabinet approved a rescue plan for BSNL and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL), the allocation of 4G spectrum being one of the key ingredients for reviving operators in financial difficulty.

Following allegations of Make in India policy violation, bidding for 7,000 new 4G sites for MTNL, a BSNL sister company operating in Mumbai and Delhi, is suspended until further notice of the Center.

Meanwhile, a source at the state-run telecommunications company said that BSNL was open to reviewing the terms of the tendering process in accordance with the policy, and would conduct a discussion with stakeholders to respond to their concerns. grievances.

However, the BSNL board of directors approved the purchase of equipment from Chinese ZTE and Finnish Nokia for the “proprietary upgrade” of 49,300 2G and 3G sites to the fourth generation (4G), while the public carrier seeks to take the quickest route to offer new generation services.

On March 23, the public operator launched a call for tenders with manufacturers of telecommunications equipment for the upgrade of 50,000 sites as part of the -IX expansion phase, in addition to 7,000 new ones. sites at the cost of 9,300 crore rupees, and the telecommunications operator last month, the opening date for offers was extended to May 25.

―Olt News