Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is expected to establish an alternative communication network for the armed forces by July 2015, following which the defence forces are expected to release 150 MHz of spectrum, say news reports.
The communication network will be based on optical fibre connectivity and satellite links. On July 2012, the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure approved a budget of Rs 133.34 billion for developing telecommunication network for defence forces.
BSNL has already released tenders for 57,000 kilometres of optical fibre cable (OFC) network. The state-run telecom firm expects to start rolling out the OFC network in January 2014 and commission it by June 2015. The company has also floated tenders for a 3,000 kilometre OFC network for the navy, which it expects to be ready by December 2014. BSNL plans to float five tenders between September and November 2013 for satellite network, transmission, microwave radio and networking equipment.
