State-owned telecom operator, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) will complete its roll out of the third generation (3G) mobile services by the mid-next year.
Speaking at the sidelines of a press conference Kuldeep Goyal, chairman and managing director, BSNL said, "We will start our roll out of 3G services in the north and eastern zones by December this year.”
“Subsequently, we will roll out our 3G services pan-India in another six months, so by mid-next year we will have our 3G services across the country,” added Goyal.
BSNL along with Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) was given a head-start by the department of Telecom to roll out 3G services in the country.
While the private telecom companies have to acquire 3G spectrum through a process of bidding, both the public sector units have already been allotted spectrum on a pro-rata basis.
Goyal further said, the orders for the equipment required for the roll out of the services have already been placed.
BSNL’s large tender for 93 million GSM lines of which 25 per cent are for 3G equipment will also be open on the 10th of this month.
