The state-owned BSNL and software giant Microsoft India on 18 August 2016 signed an agreement to offer telecom and IT solutions to big enterprises. The deal will provide a complete suite of Telecom and IT solutions for commercial enterprises. The state-owned telecom giant has a huge presence in the landline network and includes leased line connectivity to different business houses.
The BSNL had floated a request for proposal to provide complete services to various enterprises which include software, cloud infrastructure, audio-video solutions, etc. Microsoft had responded to the application and submitted its proposal which was found suitable and was given the go-ahead to enter the MoU. The agreement was inked by the BSNL Chairman and Managing Director Anupam Shrivastava and Microsoft India Chairman Bhaskar Pramanik.
BSNL clarified that the initiative to have a strategic understanding is without any commercial or legal bonding at this stage and the business operations will be completed on a case by case basis and will be filled by different branches of BSNL which will enter into bilateral or multilateral specific agreements after following the necessary guidelines.
BSNL had asked for proposals from enterprises that have the technical expertise to engage in a business partnership. The partnership will cater to Government – Government, Government – Consumer, Government – Enterprise and Enterprise to Enterprise segments.
BSNL is also in talks with another state-run telecom company MTNL for its revival plan which has been submitted to the DoT and aims to bring out the PSU out from the red. MTNL CMD PK Purawar said to PTI that the company is in advanced stages of finalizing a revival plan and will be submitted in August. The measures include broadening service network, increasing its market share as well as optimization of its resources.
BSNL is also roping in technology partners for rolling out its 4G services on a revenue sharing basis in all the 14 Telecom circles in the nation. It has already taken its first tentative steps and stated the 4G LTE services in Chandigarh on a revenue sharing basis. The proposals are expected to be released by the middle of August and BSNL will provide bandwidth to the service providers who will manage and operate the 4G services.
BSNL has pumped in Rs. 8,313.80 crore for 2,500 MHz spectrum in all its service areas in 2010. However, it surrendered airwaves in 6 of them which include Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kolkata. The state operated telecom company has the second largest mobile sites presence in the country and expects to have a whopping 1.35 lakh base stations by 2017.