ITI and Alcatel launch a new GSM production facility at Mankapur
Smt. Sonia Gandhi, Chairperson, National Advisory Council, inaugurated the BTS equipment manufacturing facility set up by the Indian Telephone Industries (ITI), today at Mankapur, near Gonda in Uttar Pradesh. Smt. Gandhi handed over the first consignment of BTS equipment each to Chairmen Shri A. K. Sinha and Shri R. S. P. Sinha, respectively of BSNL and MTNL. The equipment is an outcome of collaboration agreement signed between ITI and ALCATEL- CIT of France. The function was attended by Shri Dayanidhi Maran, Minister of Communications & Information Technology, Dr. Shakeel Ahmad, Minister of State for Communications & Information Technology and Mr. Serge Tchuruk, Chairman, Alcatel of France, besides Senior Officers of Telecom and ITI. The BTS equipment manufactured by ITI has the state-of-the-art technology with GPRS compliant and capable of providing all value added services including migration path to 3G systems.
Speaking on the occasion, Smt. Sonia Gandhi recalled the contribution of late Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi in developing the communication network. She further stated that the Government is fully committed to give fillip to further enhancement of the communication and IT sectors in the country. Efforts would be made by the Government to set up the industries in the rural areas so that overall development could take place in those remote areas.
Speaking on the occasion Shri Dayanidhi Maran stated that with the inauguration of the mobile equipment manufacturing facility in the ITI plant at Mankapur, his Ministry has taken an important step towards reviving of ITI. He said that reviving of Public Sector units is also an important plank of the National Common Minimum Programme of the Government. He hoped that the present agreement between ITI and Alcatel will put the operation of the ITI to a sound technological and commercial footing. In subsequent phase, ITI plans to establish similar facility at Rai Bareilly to meet the expanding need. Giving details of the collaboration with Alcatel, Shri Maran said ITI Mankapur will be manufacturing BTS equipment. It is also proposed to manufacture both base station controller and mobile switching controller at Mankapur plant. Alcatel has also agreed to give substantial additional order for manufacturing of BTS for exports as well as transfer of technology of 3G with ITI.
Mr. Serge Tchuruk, Chairman, Alcatel of France, who spoke on the occasion, said, "We have had a long history with ITI and since the early 1980, we have been instrumental in providing the first digital technology to ITI for creating a robust Indian Telecom infrastructure. This latest association is a new chapter in the longstanding relationship between Alcatel and ITI". He also offered the transfer of technology of DSL to ITI.
Dr. Shakeel Ahmad, Minister of State for Communications & Information Technology and Dr. J. Sreedhara Sarma, Secretary, DoT also spoke on the occasion.
RM/AMA- 070705 ITI-Alcatel BTS Equipment
(Release ID :10075)