Chennai Telephones to terminate WiMAX

Chennai Telephones, a division of state-owned telco Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL), has announced that it will cease WiMAX services from 30 June following the parent company’s decision to relinquish its broadband wireless access (BWA) spectrum in six circles, namely Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kolkata. The Hindu writes that Chennai Telephones rolled out the network to serve customers in peripheral areas without access to a fixed line, such as Gummidipoondi, Thiruvallur, Ponneri and Maraimalai Nagar. BSNL’s plans to return its BWA spectrum are a part of the recovery plan to restore the loss-making operator and its sister company Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL), both of which will be refunded for the frequencies.