State-run BSNL has submitted a bank guarantee of Rs 250 crore to the DoT after which the latter extended its Unified License (UL) for the next 20 years. The extension means BSNL will now be able to provide seamless services across the 20 circles where it has operations. Unified License is known as the allocation of the spectrum that is delinked from the licenses and has to be obtained separately as per the prescribed procedure. At present, spectrum in 800/900/1800/2100/2300/2500 MHz band is allocated through the bidding process. The new Unified License (UL) agreement with BSNL was signed on December 10 by the DoT, and it will be valid for 20 years.
DoT Extends BSNL's Unified License by Another 20 Years
The agreement signed between both the parties says "license shall be valid for a period of 20 years from the effective date of this license unless revoked for reasons specified elsewhere in the document." This news is reported by ET Telecom. Furthermore, the report added the license had been granted to BSNL with effect from February 29, 2020. Since March this year, BSNL has been offering services on an 'ad-hoc basis.'
As part of this license extension, BSNL can now continue providing services such as voice telephony, national long distance (NLD), international long distance (ISD), very-small-aperture terminal (VSAT) CGU, and the Public Mobile Radio Trunking Services (PMRTS) services. "The license hereby agrees and unequivocally undertakes to fully comply with all terms and conditions stipulated in this license agreement and without any deviation or reservations of any kind," the document further says.
BSNL can now provide 2G, 3G and 4G services in the 900MHz, 1800MHz and 2100MHz spectrum bands across 20 telecom circles. In other news, BSNL is also said to offer pan-India services soon as MTNL's license is expiring on January 10, 2021. However, the DoT will provide the additional license to BSNL for the Mumbai and Delhi circles.
