Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has taken a significant step in advancing its optical transport network (OTN) infrastructure by awarding an advance purchase order (APO) of Rs 1,127 crore to HFCL Limited. This strategic move aims to transform BSNL’s OTN infrastructure throughout India, enhancing the backhaul network support and subsequently improving services for both enterprises and consumers. As BSNL gears up to integrate future high-speed networks like 4G and 5G into its offerings, this OTN infrastructure upgrade becomes imperative for seamless implementation. Moreover, the enhancement will contribute to providing enhanced FTTH (Fiber-to-the-Home) services to BSNL customers across India.
HFCL has announced its partnership with Nokia to deploy state-of-the-art optical technology for this extensive project. The scope of the upgrade includes overhauling more than 300 large network nodes and 2000 amplifier sites for BSNL. The project is expected to span approximately 18 months, during which HFCL will not only carry out the upgrade but also take on the responsibility of operation and maintenance for three years. This includes an eight-year comprehensive Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC), for which BSNL will remit Rs 170.30 crore.
The infrastructure upgrade is projected to elevate BSNL’s network capacity to an impressive 12 terabytes. The backbone network, extending across 310 aggregation locations, is positioned as a crucial element in empowering services like 4G, 5G, and BharatNet. The comprehensive network upgrade aligns with the vision of India’s digital revolution, championed by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
Mahendra Nahata, Managing Director at HFCL, expressed the company’s commitment to advancing India’s technological capabilities. The comprehensive network upgrade not only addresses the heightened demands of enterprise and FTTH/broadband services but strategically positions BSNL for the seamless launch of 4G services and the anticipated rollout of 5G services. The initiative reflects a dedication to meeting the escalating demand for broadband connectivity in the evolving technological landscape.
