State Bank of India group has sought proposals from telcos other than MTNL/BSNL to provide alternate connectivity to about 1000 select domestic branches/offices of the group. The bank proposes to use wired/wireless solutions. The group has a WAN connectivity called SB Connect connecting the bank’s and its associates’ branches and the connectivity is provided by MTNL/BSNL. The selected service provider will be required to supply, install, monitor and maintain links through wired/RF/3G/CDMA-EVDO for about 1000 existing select branches and upcoming important branches of the group across the country under the managed service (OPEX) model for a period of three years, on monthly rental basis. The group wants the service provider to provide private multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) virtual private network (VPN) connectivity. These branches and offices/ATMs shall be connected to the bank’s data centers at Navi Mumbai and Mumbai and disaster recovery sites at Chennai and Hyderabad or any other location selected by the bank, through MPLS VPN connectivity.
