Bharuch-based Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizer Corporation Ltd (GNFC) is
embarking on an aggressive plan to consolidate its position in the
communications market place. A chemical and fertilizer company, GNFC initially
got into communications in 1986 with PCBs and digital switching systems. A
public sector giant, it has historically been slow in its plan implementations.
However, with the going getting tough, AL Vidyasagar, executive, GNFC, has
chalked out an ambitious plan for the company.
The IT and communication services division will now focus primarily on four
areas–network integration, VSAT, bandwidth, and ISP. In network integration,
GNFC has a tie-up with Enterasys for LAN, WAN, VPN and ATM requirements. On the
VSAT front, which GNFC claims to be its forte, the company has a tie-up with TIW
Systems and NSI Com. A hub station in extended C-band has been set up in Bharuch
for handling large voice, data, video conferencing, and Internet traffic.
Vidyasagar says, "All equipment is provided with 100 percent redundancy for
high reliability." GNFC offers a range of solutions for voice, data, video,
fax, internet, video-conferencing, broadcasting, rural telephony, and VoIP
connectivity applications.
"We are aggressively quoting across the country for VSAT projects",
Vidyasagar points out. The company has already got installations at various
Gujarat government offices including Gujarat State Road Transport Corp, RTO,
ISRO, and Sales Tax offices. Recently, it set up a mobile fiber optic WAN along
with a VSAT network for the National Disaster Management team for connecting 225
talukas in 25 districts.
Not many people know of it, but GNFC also offers ISP services including
Internet-over-cable in select cities of Gujarat. Interestingly, the company is
also getting into software services in the areas of PKI, E-commerce, and GIS. It
also offers bandwidth services, where it has tied-up with Teleglobe. Vidyasagar
claims that it has already booked for an 8-MB capacity. And GNFC is looking at
doing business worth Rs 25 crore in this fiscal. Obviously this does not include
PCB, which is a major chunk under IT.
While the team is all set, the company will need to reduce its
over-dependence on the government and PSUs for business. To be a truly
competitive player, GNFC will have to go after private enterprises too, and
learn to serve their requirements. It is in this light that it will have to
remember the hard lesson that it learnt when it had to finally shut down its
EPABXs business.