By IANS
New Delhi : Global wireless network major Ericsson AB, which emerged as one of the lowest bidders in India's state-run telecom giant BSNL's multi-billion GSM deal, Wednesday said it is 'eagerly waiting' for a reply from the firm.
"We are eagerly awaiting an official response from BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd)," Mats Granryd, managing director, Ericsson India, told reporters here.
BSNL last year floated a tender to procure 45.5 million GSM lines in which Ericsson, along with Nokia Siemens, emerged as the lowest bidders at $107 per line and $176 per line respectively.
US-based telecom vendor Motorola, which also bid for the contract along with Chinese ZTE Corp, were disqualified on the grounds of not being able to meet the required technical specifications.
However, the tender had ever since got entangled into various political twist and turns with the sudden arrival of new Communication and IT Minister A. Raja who asked BSNL to renegotiate the bids as he found the earlier price to be too high for a PSU (public sector undertaking).
The minister had also asked BSNL to consider Motorola's case, which when disqualified had moved the Delhi High Court but eventually withdrew the case this year in April.
BSNL, which also had a board meeting for the second time on the issue this month, has eventually sent its observations to the minister for his consideration.
Meanwhile, a senior official from Motorola indicated their willingness to re-bid for the tender if asked by BSNL.
"We will re-bid if there is a formal request for proposal to the tender. Depending on the specifications of the revised tender, we would give our proposal," Amit Sharma, president, Motorola India, told the media on the sidelines of a conference here.
"We also intend to participate in all of BSNL's future tenders," Sharma added.