State-owned BSNL is working on a new GSM tender for 40-50-million cellular lines, the company executives with direct knowledge of the developments told ET . Last week, following a string of controversies, the BSNL board had decided to cancel its $10-billion tender for 93-million GSM lines, the largest ever telecom equipment contract globally.
This 93-million lines tender was issued in 2008, but a combination of factors ranging from controversies, court cases, the government intervention and probe by vigilance authorities, all ensured that BSNL had to cancel the tender thereby seriously impacting its expansion plans. The BSNL board is slated to meet this week, maybe as early as March 10, to discuss the proposal to float a new tender, added the company executives.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/telecom/BSNL-plans-fresh-tender-for-50-m-cellular-lines/articleshow/5661079.cms