Sterlite Tech to provide telecom access network solutions

Sterlite Technologies, a leading global provider of optical fibre, has ventured into the telecom network market to provide integrated services to telcos.

The scope of work involves designing end-to-end network solutions for fibre-to-the-home, fibre-to-the-enterprise and fibre-to-the-small-cells. The new portfolio involves equipment, software and deployment solutions. Currently, the company is in the process of doing a Proof of Concept (PoC) for its latest fibre to the last mile solution with Reliance Jio. The company is also running pilot programs with Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea.

The access portion of telecom networks is increasingly becoming fibre-oriented. It features open-source hardware and software which is easily accessible for network management. Sterlite Tech has centered its activities around the same.

In 2015, Sterlite Technologies acquired Elitecore Technologies Pvt. Ltd., a telecom software product company controlled by private equity major Carlyle Group. Since the acquisition, numerous developments that occurred have placed Sterlite in a competitive position against multinational corporations such as Cisco, Amdocs, Ciena, Juniper Networks, Huawei, Ericsson and Nokia. Sterlite is now well placed to market Operations Support Services (OSS) and Business Support Services (BSS) solutions to telecom companies.

The telecom division of Sterlite offers optic fibre infrastructure, Wi-Fi systems, in-building solutions, managed services and metro Ethernet network. Additionally, it also provides numerous software-driven services.

The company bagged a MahaNet-I project worth Rs. 1,512 crore for the implementation of BharatNet-II in Maharashtra. The project will enable smart connectivity to over 4,000 gram panchayats in the Vidarbha region, positively impacting more than 7.5 million citizens.

On October 26, 2018, the company launched FTTx Mantra – an end-to-end FTTx-as-a-service solution. This will facilitate swift roll-out of Fibre-to-the-point networks that will cater to the requirements of 5G, Internet of Things (IoT) applications. It will also serve the needs of global communication service providers, data centres and citizen networks.

Sterlite will also develop and deliver software-enabled programmable solutions using Red Hat technology. This will enable users to realize the full potential of web-scale Network Function Virtualization Infrastructure (NFVI) platform, for their network automation and Software Defined Network (SDN) initiatives.

The company released its financial results for the quarter ended September, 2018, recently. The performance demonstrates sustained growth and an all-time high robust order book of Rs. 9,455 crore consisting of a healthy mix of international and domestic long-term contracts. It reported revenue of Rs. 1,084 crore, up 39 per cent YoY; EBITDA of Rs. 279 crore, up 56 per cent YoY and PAT of Rs. 131 crore, up 84 per cent YoY.

On Monday, the shares of Sterlite Technologies opened at a price of Rs. 374.60 per share, and hit a high and low of Rs. 379.00 per share and Rs. 362.25 per share, respectively. At 11:03 am, the stock was trading at Rs. 364.90 per share, down 2.59 per cent.