COMPANIES

IBM-UTStarcom to provide IT infrastructure for BSNL
Mumbai: IBM, in collaboration with UTStarcom, has commenced work on end-to-end networking solutions and services for Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd's (BSNL) 2.8 million lines of DSLAM (digital subscriber line access multiplexer) in approximately 900 cities throughout India.

BSNL will use the network to deliver real-time applications and high-speed internet, and to effectively handle ever-increasing broadband subscriber traffic. The solution will enable BSNL to offer new broadband-based, multi-play services such as IPTV, video on demand (VoD), video multicast, VPN services, and high-speed internet services across the country, IBM said in a statement.

In addition, the solutions being supplied by IBM and UTStarcom will provide the operator with network flexibility, scalability for innovation and a rapid return on investment, it said.

With an estimated 20 million broadband subscribers by 2010, India presents an enormous opportunity to offer the broadband services that consumers are demanding, IBM said.

IBM has a long-standing relationship with Bharti Airtel and has recently won a contract from Idea Cellular for business process transformation.

UTStarcom is a global leader in IP-based, end-to-end networking solutions and international service and support. The company sells its broadband, wireless, and handset solutions to operators in both emerging and established telecommunications markets around the world.
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Patel Engineering secures Rs428 crore NTPC order
Mumbai: Patel Engineering Ltd has secured a Rs428-crore order from National Power Corporation Ltd for its 520 MW (4 x 130 MW) Tapovan Vishnugad Hydro Electric Project in Uttaranchal.

The scope of work includes surge shaft, pressure shaft, penstock, tail race tunnel, switch yards and power house. The project is to be completed in 48 months.

"As a conscious effort the company is focusing itself or high margin hydro power projects. The company is prequalified for hydro power projects in excess of Rs6,000 crore. Accordingly, the order book is expected to increase rapidly in coming months. The company has been executing hydro power projects since last 60 years and will leverage its expertise and execution capabilities to further expand in this sector" said Ashwin Parmar, deputy director (business development), of the company.

Patel Enginering has recently bagged an order for design and construction worth $153 million in Algeria from Agence Notionale Des Barrage Et Transfets (ANBT Algeria) in a joint venture.
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Thermax ties up technology with Georgia Pacific
Mumbai: Energy and engineering major Thermax has signed an aggrement with US-based Georgia Pacific to procure the latter's technology for making speciality chemicals for the paper manufacturing industry in India and South East Asia.

Atlanta, Georgia-based Georgia Pacific, an $80 billion company, will supply technology for performance enhancing chemicals which find extensive applications in the paper industry. This technology licence agreement will enable Thermax to improve the competitive edge of its clients by improving productivity, reducing raw material costs and minimising plant down-time while enhancing quality and safety," M S Unnikrishnan, MD, Thermax said.

The Rs2200 crore Thermax has business relationships with a number of paper manufacturers as a supplier of boilers and performance chemicals.
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Suzlon to set up 150 MW wind turbines for DLF in Gujarat
Mumbai: Suzlon Energy Ltd has secured a major order from DLF Ltd for setting up of a wind farm of 150 MW wind turbine capacity in Gujarat.

The order comprises 100 units of Suzlon's S82 1.5 MW turbines, which will be installed by March 2008, the company said in a filing with the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).

"We are very pleased to secure this major order from DLF. This order marks a major new initiative from DLF to invest in power - one of the most critical infrastructure areas for India today, and through wind making it an environmentally friendly and sustainable venture." Said I C Mangal, head of Suzlon SBU-West.

New Delhi-based DLF is a leading real estate developer in India. The group has over 289 million sq. ft. of existing development and 615 million sq. ft. of planned projects spread over residential, commercial, retail, hotels, and infrastructure and SEZ projects.
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INTERNATIONAL

Yahoo launches upgraded search engine
Mumbai: Yahoo Inc. has unveiled a new internet search technology, which it claims to be superior than its existing product but still a "chip away" from rival and global search leader Google Inc.

The new Yahoo Search introduces features like 'Universal Search', which automatically includes different content types in search results.

Results pages now include embedded videos, photos from Yahoo's extensive `Flicker' collection and customised results, such as those for celebrities, artists or news.

Yahoo's new search service sports an attractive drop-down box called search assist that appears as user type, offering spelling fixes and search suggestions based on what's being typed.

While Yahoo's rivals already offer similar functions, Yahoo's version is visually more appealing and smarter..

The upgrade will also use information from Yahoo's calendar service, upcoming org, to highlight local events that are relevant to requests. The service also features information from Yahoo Answers, a popular web service where questions are posted for anyone to answer.

Meanwhile, Yahoo co-founder Jerry Yang has taken over from ousted chief executive Terry Semel, who had failed to eat into Google's growth.
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Nokia Siemens Networks ties up R$D with IBM
Mumbai: Nokia Siemens Networks and IBM have signed an agreement that includes transfer of specific parts of research and development center activities for four business lines of the service core and applications business unit to a subsidiary of IBM.

The transaction, expected to close by the beginning of December 2007, would involve shifting of up to 235 employees located in Munich and Berlin to the IBM organisation. Through this agreement Nokia Siemens Networks will leverage IBM's global network and its R&D organisations, investing more than $6 billion in 2006 and with 14 years of patent leadership.

The transferred R&D centre activities include specific parts of R&D for next generation voice and multimedia; media gateway; mobile internet connections; and consumer and business VoIP business lines of the service core and applications business unit as well as technical support.

Entire teams will be transferred and continue to deliver necessary development activities back to Nokia Siemens Networks. They will work together with Nokia Siemens Networks' programme management, product management, architecture, technical support and system level testing to fulfill obligations.

Over time, development services will also be offered to other IBM clients as part of the portfolio of the IBM global engineering solutions division, which provides engineering as well as research and development (R&D) services to a variety of industries, the company said.

Espoo, Finland-basd Nokia Siemens Networks is one of the largest telecommunications infrastructure companies with operations in 150 countries.
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Qatar seeks regulatory nod to up OMX stake; raises chance of bid war
Mumbai: Qatar has filed for regulatory approval to take a bigger stake in Nordic stock exchange OMX and said it was considering taking over the bourse, raising the prospect of a bidding war with Borse Dubai and its partner Nasdaq.

The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) already claims a 9.98 per cent stake in OMX, just below the 10 per cent threshold at which the regulator must approve ownership.

Qatari prime minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr al-Thani, who also heads the QIA, said raising the stakes further was a serious possibility, though fraught with complications.

"I cannot say yes or no now but we are thinking about this seriously and ... you know there are a lot of complications in it but yes we are looking," he told CNBC television.

Qatar started acquiring stock in the Nordic and Baltic exchange owner just after Borse Dubai and US exchange Nasdaq announced they were teaming up to buy OMX.
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