ZTE emerges lowest bidder in BSNL GSM tender

ZTE is all set to make an entry into BSNL's GSM network. ZTE, along with Alcatel Lucent, has emerged as the lowest bidder in the GSM tender for installing 5.5 million telephone lines in northern and eastern zones.The home ministry recently issued security guidelines, making it mandatory for all vendors to share their source code the software on which hardware runs - with the government.

Ericsson, which accounts for around 50% of BSNL's existing network, withdrew from the tender citing its inability to meet the new security requirements. ZTE, Huawei, Nokia Siemens and Alcatel Lucent remained in the race.