KBROS TeleSoft Pvt. Ltd.

BSNL awards CDR project to TCS, Wipro, HCL

Five years after it first invited bids for its Call-Data-Record project, state-run BSNL has finally placed Rs 1,200 crore orders with TCS, HCL and Wipro for the programme that will enable it to provide a single bill to subscribers for all its services.

“We have placed the purchase order with three IT firms, TCS, HCL and Wipro, for the CDR billing project at a total value of Rs 1,200 crore. It will be completed in December 2008,” BSNL chairman and managing director Kuldeep Goyal said.

The project will not only help the customers to get a convergent bill for the entire range of services the PSU offers, but would also come as a relief to operators who complain of unfair and incorrect pricing.

The project, for which Expressions of Interest were first invited five years ago, will help the firm’s 65 million subscribers in getting a single bill for all the services.

The company’s customers at present get different bills for different services. With the project, BSNL expects to face competition from private operators by providing efficient billing and customer care solutions.

It envisages building of country-wide intranet network, reduce cost of operation, increase revenue realisation, besides providing round-the-clock customer care operations.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India had earlier directed all telecom operators to implement CDR-based billing system by March 31, 2004. The delay in decision was due to BSNL’s vast network and changes in the company’s requirements. BSNL will implement CDR-based billing and customer care solutions across India with four zones and four data centres.

Goyal also said the keeping in mind the huge purchases for expansion plans, the company is planning to go for e-procurement contracts.