BSNL sources 53% of mobile network equipment from ZTE, Huawei

At a time when concerns have been raised over equipment of Chinese origin in mobile networks and anti-China sentiments are on a high, the Centre on Thursday said that around 53.4 per cent of state-run BSNL’s mobile network equipment comes from Chinese tech majors ZTE and Huawei.

In a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha, the Minister of State for Communications, Sanjay Dhotre said that Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), has 44.4 per cent of its mobile network equipment from ZTE and 9.0 per cent from Huawei.

The other public sector operator Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL), has 10 per cent of its mobile network equipment from Chinese equipment manufacturers.

Significantly, at the height of the Indo-Chinese border tensions, the Centre cancelled the 4G upgradation tender for BSNL as it has decided to come up with fresh specifications for the upgrade process.

The government had also asked both BSNL and MTNL in June not to use equipment of Chinese makers in their upgrading process to 4G facilities.

In his reply, Dhotre said that Reliance Jio has not deployed any telecom equipment from ZTE and Huawei in its network, for providing various telecom services under its Unified License.

Vodafone Idea Limited (VIL), follows a multi-vendor strategy for procuring equipment for different requirements in its network and has always been com pliant to the various security related requirements placed upon it by the Do T notifications.

Bharti Airtel uses telecom equipment of several vendor partners including Indian, American, European, Chinese across the different network domains — radio, core and transport — follow a multi-vendor approach for its networks to build robust and secure networks, the Minister said.