MTNL to take franchise route for WiMax rollout

Once bitten, MTNL is now shy. The state-run service provider that decided tolook at franchises after it found little success at marketing their 3G services, will soon float tenders seeking partners for rolling out BWAservices.

"We will soon be rolling out Wimax services, we will be taking the franchise route here." Kuldip Singh, CMD, MTNL told Voice&Data.

Rumours are already doing rounds that RIL is in talks with MTNL to franchise its 3G services in Delhi and Mumbai. If the deal materialises, RIL will be ahead of other operators as MTNL's 3G network is functional with close to five lakh subscribers.

Interestingly, Reliance Industries, which made a surprising entry into telecom with its acquisition of Infotel, which won BWA spectrum for all 22 circles.

All the bid winners fro the BWA spectrum have paid the fee and the
government has also said that it will be allocating the Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) next week itself.

heenaj@cybermedia.co.in