BSNL Given Telecom Equipment Contracts To ZTE Corp, Alcatel Lucent SA; Nokia Oyj And Siemens AG's Nokia Siemens Networks, Others May Pull Out Of Bid-DJ

Dow Jones reported that State-run Indian telecom operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (BSNL) has given network-equipment contracts to China's ZTE Corp and Alcatel Lucent SA. While ZTE was the lowest bidder, Alcatel-Lucent was among four vendors shortlisted by BSNL. Alcatel-Lucent and three others, Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson and Nokia Oyj and Siemens AG's Nokia Siemens Networks would pull out of the contract as the bid put in by ZTE wasn't viable for them to match. BSNL has been looking to expand its mobile-phone network for the past two years.