The Silicon Review ^Asia

In India, The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has reported that the state-run telco BSNL is intentionally delaying the adoption of the 4G network. The reports were from the internal committee findings, and this has furthermore widened the rift between both the parties. Due to the absence of data services, BSNL has lost significant revenue in the past few months. DoT stated that the tender documents were not sent back to DoT on time, and the actions seem very deliberate from the BSNL’s end to delay the process of PoC. In a letter sent in October to the DoT, BSNL had asked for clarification regarding the network expansion because having two different cores for the network would drastically affect the network’s service quality. DoT retaliated by saying that the letter was an attempt to slow down the process and then blame the DoT for delays in the process. Furthermore, DoT had stated that if BSNL’s considerations were taken into account, then the new procurement will somehow continue to support 2G,3G, and 4G till the former two are shut down in the country. BSNL will then be forced to receive support from old vendors for supporting all the technologies. The cost for the 4G spectrum has already been raised, and also the MOF completed budgetary allocations.