Sterlite bags Rs 169 cr MTNL contract

New Delhi, May 24: Sterlite Optical Technologies Ltd today said it has to have received Rs 169 crore contract from MTNL, the state-funded operator for deployment of Broadband and Metro Ethernet network in Delhi and Mumbai.

The network will handle around half a million broadband connections in the two metros.

''The project will be completed within a period of two years (2007-08 and 2008-09),'' said Sterlite Optical Technologies Ltd CEO and Director Dr Anand Agarwal.

The company was awarded the contract against competition from various global players and will design, develop and implement the network for MTNL.

Since 2005-06, the company has been involved in setting up the MPLS core for MTNL. The Broadband and Ethernet network is an extension of the existing MPLS network, said the statement.

The Ministry of Telecommunication has declared 2007 as the 'Year of Broadband' and has resolved to make broadband affordable to enable subscribers enter the Information Superhighway.

UNI