BSNL has formed a three-year alliance with US-based Wi-Max solutions provider Soma Networks, according to which the latter will provide its Wi-Max solutions based on the 802.16e-2005 standard.

BSNL has formed a three-year alliance with US-based Wi-Max solutions provider Soma Networks, according to which the latter will provide its Wi-Max solutions based on the 802.16e-2005 standard. The deal, which is on a revenue-share basis, will help BSNL deploy Wi-Max in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh ?? the largest Wi-Max deployment in the country. In the first phase, Soma will complete Wi-Max deployment in Ahmedabad by July 2008. BSNL, which has already received spectrum in the 2.5 GHz frequency band, is planning to roll out Wi-Max services in 70 cities across the country by mid-2008.

The operator will also set up 50,000 common service centres using Wi-Max.