BSNL Early on 3G.

State-run telecom operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) Monday reaffirmed its decision to launch third generation (3G) in Chennai in January.

The public sector undertaking has already received a licence and spectrum rights to roll out 3G services in most parts of the country as it is one of the two state-run phone companies and is given preference over private firms in offering new technologies.

However, the telecom operator has to pay the same fees as private operators who eventually win the right to offer a service.

"We will start our rollout of 3G services from Chennai in January," BSNL director (finance) S.D. Saxena told IANS.

3G entails higher expenses for telecom operators, but Saxena said efforts would be taken not to burden the customer.

"Affordability is going to be a major concern but we will offer a number of schemes to ease the burden," he said.

Referring to the 93 million lines tender floated a few months back, he said, "We will take more time to announce the results as the evaluation is still going on."

While the slowdown has affected most parts of the economy, Saxena said the telecom sector, and "especially" BSNL, has been isolated from its repercussions.