BSNL has decided to adopt the franchisee model for rolling out broadband services using Wi-Max technology. The company has invited bids from prospective partners on a revenue-sharing basis.
According to the terms of the expression of interest document floated by BSNL, the franchisee will be selected on the basis of a two-stage bidding process. In the first stage, the bidder will be required to submit both techno-commercial and financial bids.
The successful candidate, determined on the basis of its technocommercial bid, will consequently have to install (at its own cost and risk) one base station each in an urban and a semi-urban area and also undergo a pre-qualifying test for conformity with range, capacity and throughput requirements. BSNL has earmarked close to $750 million for its Wi-Max project.
