BSNL launches VNO services in India, expects Rs.650 crore business in FY 18-19

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) announced the launch of Virtual Network Operator Services on the pan-India basis.

Two VNOs Adpay Mobile Payment India Private Limited and Plintron India Private Limited have integrated their system with BSNL mobile infrastructure and are ready to offer services to retail customers.

Besides this, the company also announced the first Robotic Process Automation in collaboration with E&Y.

"This technology will help several organizations to automate & perfect their internal processes effectively and at a reasonable cost," the telco said.

The two partners will sell the company's products and SIMs with their own value additions, BSNL CMD Anupam Shrivastava said.

He said: "We are also speaking to other firms for virtual network operator services and expect this area to contribute Rs 650 crore by the end of this financial year."

For those who are not aware, AdPay was licensed by DoT in 2016 as the first VNO and operates under brand name AEROVOYCE.

Under this partnership, AEROVOYCE will provide SIM (Voice & Data and Data only) and ISP services, will cover rural consumers, tier2/ tier3 cities focusing SIM(Voice & Data), ISP, IoT, Smart Cities, Agro-Techo Market and Educational Institutes.

"This new virtual member to BSNL family shall monitor potential exposure of BSNL to excess TDS, which can reduce cash blockage in excess of Rs 100 crores per annum," added BSNL.

Speaking at the launch, Shrivastava said: "This is a big step towards BSNL's digital transformation which will enable BSNL to manage its resources more effectively and create new operational efficiencies across business processes.

The bot solution was developed by EY, a leading global consulting firm. The EY team identified the issue of excess TDS and designed the bot which is being deployed across the forty-eight circles where BSNL operates.