BSNL plans to soon issue tenders for setting up 50,000 common service centres (CSCs) in semi-urban and rural areas across the country.

BSNL plans to soon issue tenders for setting up 50,000 common service centres (CSCs) in semi-urban and rural areas across the country. Instead of following the traditional method of providing high speed internet and ICT services via optic fibre cable, the new CSCs will use wireless broadband (Wi-Max) technology. DoT has sought approval from the minister for IT and telecommunications to allocate Wi-Max spectrum in the 2.54 GHz frequency band to BSNL. The project is expected to be completed by August 2008. Meanwhile, BSNL is also planning to roll out Wi-Max services in 70 cities across the country by mid-2008. The company will soon issue tenders worth Rs 10 billion for this project.