State run PSU Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has floated tender for planning, engineering, supply, installation, commissioning, operation and maintenance of Wi-Fi Offload solution and W-Fi Hotspots for all the four zones on turnkey basis.
As per the latest information, the PSU has decided to procure around 35,000 Wi-Fi Access Points. It includes 20,000 indoor access points and 15,000 outdoor access points to be deployed at 7,500 Wi-Fi Hotspot locations. Vendors participating in the bid shall have an experience of supply and installation of minimum of 20,000 access points on a cumulative basis.
The vendor also should have an experience in supply, commissioning of Wi-Fi Offload solution in minimum of four telecom operators of which one will be an Indian telco.
To increase its data carrying capability, BSNL has decided to focus on Wi-Fi services. Till date, BSNL has rolled-out around 500 Wi-Fi hotspots at various historic / tourist locations. BSNL is planning to install around 2,500 Wi-Fi hotspots in FY 2015-16. In the next three years, BSNL will be installing more than 40,000 Wi-Fi Hotspots across the country.
BSNL CMD Anupam Shrivastava said – “We are at present neither a 4G service provider, nor do we have the relevant spectrum to launch this service. But to deal with this challenge, we are working on a scheme to set up 40,000 Wi-Fi Hotspots in the country, as it (Wi-Fi Hotspot) is faster than 4G services.”
BSNL is going to invest about 7,800 crores during 2015-16 for expansion / up-gradation of its networks. To address the call drop issue and to improve the quality of services, BSNL would be setting up around 25,000 new mobile towers in the country, with an investment of Rs 5,500 crore.
BSNL CMD further said that in FY15, the company achieved an operating profit of Rs 672 crore, and expects it to reach Rs 1000 crore by the end of the current fiscal year.
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