MTNL, BSNL in pact with the IAF

In what comes in as an interesting bit of news, reports confirm that both the Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) have come together to in a pact with the Indian Air Force (IAF). The pact will require both BSNL and MTNL to provide a host of services at concessional rates to the IAF, in exchange for space for installation of towers and equipment of both MTNL and BSNL, with which the IAF would comply.

Reports further elaborate that with the agreement coming into effect,  MTNL and BSNL, the two public sector units will become the “Most Preferred Service Provider” for the Indian Air Force, and they would be provided space for installation of telecom towers and other telecom equipment. In a statement, BSNL was quoted as saying, “The objective is to enable BSNL and MTNL to provide IAF full gamut of telecom services, including basic telephony, mobile telephony, broadband services, internet services and leased lines, MPLS-VPN and VSAT services, on concessional tariff.”

More from News & Analysis

What is the US HIRE Bill and why is India’s $250-billion IT sector worried? Is the internet dead? What's this theory that OpenAI's Sam Altman says might be true?

Together with BSNL joins hands with IAF

Reports add that telecom services required include CUG facility on mobile phones and value added services on mobile and landline phones and optic fiber connectivity, as per IAF requirements.

The Board for Reconstruction of Public Sector Enterprises recommended that both BSNL (operates in 20 circles) and MTNL (operates in two metros) should come together, as should telecom equipment manufacturer ITI. It is being largely believed that the move should help the telecom giant do well in times of losses. The report adds further that in their statement, BSNL added, “System integration solution will also be explored among telcos and Indian Air Force.”

News Sources