BSNL has floated a Rs 20 billion tender for the supply of 5.5 million GSM lines in the northern and eastern circles. However, the state-run operator has banned Chinese vendors Huawei Technologies and the ZTE Corporation from participating in the tender bidding process. The move follows the ongoingnational security concerns related to equipment procured from Chinese vendors. For the time being, the government has also banned Chinese telecom equipment, especially if it is to be installed in circles that share international boundaries.
