TCS-led consortium bags Rs 15,000 cr BSNL contract for 4G deployment

Mumbai: State-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd's (BSNL) 4G rollout plan has finally received an impetus after a long hiatus as Tata Consultancy Services-led consortium has bagged a Rs 15,000-crore contract from the PSU to deploy a 4G network for the state-run telco. In a regulatory filing, TCS told the stock exchanges on Monday that it has received an "advance purchase order" valued at over Rs 15,000 crore from BSNL.

In a separate regulatory filing, Tejas Networks Limited informed that it has emerged as a successful bidder "for the BSNL pan-India 4G project. BSNL has issued Advance Purchase Order (APO) to TCS as well as ITI for this project. As a part of the consortium, Tejas Networks will supply and service the Radio Access Networks (RAN) equipment." Tejas Networks is part of the TCS-led consortium.

What is RAN?

RAN is an essential component of a mobile telecommunications system that provides the connection between mobile devices (such as smartphones, tablets, and IoT devices) and the core network infrastructure. The RAN includes base stations, also known as cell sites or radio towers, which communicate with mobile devices over the air interface. The primary function of the RAN is to establish and maintain wireless communication links with mobile devices, allowing them to access voice and data services. It handles tasks such as radio frequency transmission and reception, encoding and decoding of data, modulation, and demodulation of signals, and resource allocation for efficient use of available bandwidth. The RAN is responsible for managing radio resources, including assigning frequencies, optimising coverage and capacity, and ensuring reliable and seamless connectivity for mobile users.

Delay in BSNL 4G network rollout

The TCS-led consortium had won the exclusive rights to deploy BSNL's 4G network almost two years ago. However, the awarding of the contract was delayed as proof of concept studies to test out 4G network devices took time followed by contract negotiations which went on for about a year.

BSNL is already lagging behind in the race by several yards to roll out 4G network as other telecom companies are well on their way to deploying 5G networks. So far, BSNL has around 10,000 4G sites that have been deployed by Nokia.

In December 2022, Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had said that BSNL's 4G technology will be upgraded to 5G in 5-7 months and rolled out across 1.35 lakh telecom towers the company has in the country.

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