The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) is likely to invite bids from telecom companies interested in using the former?s transmission towers for laying optical fibre cable (OFC) network across the state. KSEB is likely to select the company that would offer the highest data transmission facility in lieu of the infrastructure. While the successful companies will have an opportunity for laying their OFC backbone as overhead lines instead of underground cables, the operators will not be permitted to use board?s distribution poles for offering services to customers.
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The state government had earlier decided to rent the board?s distribution poles to Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited for the speedy roll out of its 4G service in the state. However, the decision ran into trouble as Idea Cellular and Vodafone India approached the government with the request to reinforce their right to claim for such a facility. The government is likely to seek more clarification on the 4G roll out plans of Idea Cellular and Vodafone India in the state to take further action on the matter.
