Nokia Siemens Networks bags BSNL broadband order

New Delhi, Oct 11 (UNI) Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) today announced it has procured a contract from the state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) to deploy broadband access across 7,000 Indian villages.

''The contract is a part of the greenfield rural tender from BSNL. The new access network's high bandwidth will allow BSNL to deliver high data and triple-play intensive services such as Video on Demand, Video Multi cast, IPTV, Video Conferencing and VPN among others to its customers,'' a statement said.

The network will also enable BSNL to provide connectivity to CSCs (Community Service Centres) and other e-governance locations, the statement added.

The two-year agreement includes supply, installation and commissioning, training and annual maintenance contract for five years.

NSN will supply end-user devices that will enable BSNL to provide speeds of up to 24Mbps for ADSL2+ subscribers over its existing copper infrastructure. The first phase of new lines deployment will be completed by Q1 of 2008.

''The BSNL rural broadband project will bridge digital divide and connect 20,000 villages in India,'' said BSNL Chairman and Managing Director Kuldeep Goyal.

This is the second rural broadband access tender BSNL has awarded to NSN.

UNI