Quality of service to worsen if network sharing allowed: BSNL Unio

New Delhi, Sept 16 (UNI) The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) Union today lashed out at the state-owned operator on its apparent decision to share its network with private telecom companies for roaming agreements, saying that it will lead to worsening of quality of service.

''The decision is unwarranted and against the interest of both the government and BSNL. At the moment, BSNL network is over saturated and allowing other operators will further aggravate the quality of service,'' Joint Forum of BSNL Associations/Unions of Executives and Non-Executives Convenor VAN Namboodari said in a statement.

Media reports had quoted a BSNL internal circular of the management committee meeting, saying BSNL plans to share its network with private telecom companies for roaming agreements.

The circular said the idle capacity of the network would be used to earn extra revenue.

While all private telecom companies have roaming agreements with each other, BSNL, till date, has not opened its networks for roaming deals.

''Certain private companies are facing formidable challenges for their entry in to the GSM arena in terms of putting their infrastructure, which is quite time consuming,'' Mr Namboodari said.

He said the Union feels BSNL is being made a scapegoat as no other big GSM operator like Airtel and Vodafone were not even considering any such option as they are aware of the fatal consequences of such a decision.

UNI SR SG KN2015