After one year of its tenure, Government is keen on reviving BSNL and MTNL, reports Economic Times. Ravi Prasad Shankar plans to recover BSNL, mainly by improving its connectivity. For the purpose, 25, 645 new base transmission centres (BTCs) will be placed in next two years. 15,000 BTCs are already installed.
For technology upgrade, wireless exchanges of BSNL will be substituted by Internet Protocol in 432 telephone exchanges and for 70 lakh telephone lines. MTNL is already on its path of revival and is upgrading 1080 3G sites in Delhi and Mumbai, and 825 2G sites in Delhi and 616 2G sites in Mumbai.
A major renewal can be expected in customer redress systems online. Minister also congratulated BSNL for the efforts it showcased during the recent Nepal earthquake or during the Hud-Hud cyclone in Andra Pradesh. “BSNL managed to restore the connections during natural calamities faster than expected, and such efforts should be seen in other times too,” Minister added.
During Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, BSNL registered a profit of Rs. 10,000 crores. In later tenures, the state-owned firm suffered from severe loss and marked a huge loss of Rs. 7020 crore. On another side, MTNL was equally showcasing a loss story. In 2014, it had a debt of Rs. 16,000 crore. According to the report, there were efforts to prioritize private players when it comes to tenders. The previous government practically ceased the state-owned BSNL and MTNL from any expansion.
