Vendors Reportedly Delay BSNL’s Broadband Plan

Bharat Sanchar Nigam has said that it had to postpone the rollout of the National Internet Backbone program by eight months due to supply delays by a consortium led by Telecommunications Consultants India, the Business Standard has reported.

Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL) expects to provide its broadband service to six lakh subscribers across 200 cities through the INR1.2 billion National Internet Backbone (NIB-II). Its plan includes deployment of multi-gigabyte, multi-protocol IP infrastructure to provide voice, data and video through this backbone.

BSNL has asked the consortium of vendors, including IBM, Symantec and OpenWave, to speed up the work on the project. The timeline for launching services such as internet leased line, multi-protocol label switching (MPLS), virtual private network, pre-paid (dial-up), have reportedly not been met.

IBM was to provide storage devices and enterprise management system module, Symantec anti-abuse and security systems and TCIL validation and deployment. IBM has denied any delay from its side.