Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Essar are amongst the final bidders for the Gujarat government?s closed user group (CUG) network project. Vodafone is leading the tally with overall 91 points, followed by Bharti Airtel?s 79.5 points, Tata Teleservices?55 points, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL)?s 50 points and Idea Cellular?s 40 points.
On 18 October, the Gujarat administration department (GAD) had opened financial bids which carry 40 per cent weightage, a week after it opened the technical bids. In the latest bid, Bharti Airtel proposed the lowest tariff, over 40 per cent discount to the base rates, beating Vodafone Essar and Tata Teleservices, who offered 35 per cent discount, Idea 30 per cent and BSNL 20 per cent.
Nevertheless, it is believed that Vodafone Essar?s technical strength would eventually score over the competitor?s tariff bait. Vodafone may have the upper hand, as a technical bid carries 60 per cent weightage.
