We are happy to share that Deosoft IT Service Private Limited has been empanelled with RailTel Corporation of India Limited. It is an important milestone for our team. Many people have heard the name RailTel but are not sure what the company actually does, so in this post we explain it in simple words: what RailTel is, what services it offers, what empanelment means, and what this means for us.
What is RailTel?
RailTel Corporation of India Limited is a Government of India public sector enterprise (PSU) under the Ministry of Railways. It was founded on 26 September 2000, originally to modernise the communication network of Indian Railways, such as the systems used for train operations and signalling.
Over time, RailTel grew far beyond the railways. Today it is one of the country’s major ICT (Information and Communication Technology) and telecom service providers, working with government departments, public sector companies, banks, institutions and private enterprises.
In August 2024, RailTel was granted Navratna status, becoming the 22nd central public sector enterprise to receive it. Navratna status gives a PSU greater financial autonomy, so it can invest more and expand faster.
RailTel’s Network: The Strength Behind It
RailTel’s biggest asset is its optical fibre network laid along railway tracks across India. Because the railway lines already reach almost every part of the country, the fibre follows them, including many small towns and remote areas.
As reported at the time of its Navratna announcement (2024), the network includes:
| Network feature | Figure |
|---|---|
| Optical fibre along railway tracks | about 62,000 route km |
| Citywide access network | about 21,000 km |
| Points of Presence (PoPs) | over 11,000 |
| Telecom towers | about 1,100 |
| Railway stations with public Wi-Fi | over 6,000 |
Figures are as reported in 2024 and keep changing as the network grows.
What Does RailTel Do? Services in Simple Words
1. Connectivity services
RailTel provides leased lines, MPLS VPN and internet bandwidth. In simple terms, this means secure, high-speed links that connect the offices, branches or data centres of an organisation.
2. Data centre and cloud services
Organisations can host their applications and data on RailTel’s data centre and cloud infrastructure instead of buying and managing their own servers.
3. IT and ICT projects
RailTel takes up projects such as networks, software solutions, e-governance systems and digital infrastructure for government and institutions. This is the area where IT companies like Deosoft come in.
4. RailWire broadband and station Wi-Fi
RailWire is RailTel’s retail broadband brand. It also runs the public Wi-Fi at railway stations that many travellers use.
5. Security and monitoring services
This includes Security Operation Centre (SOC) services, which watch for cyber threats and protect systems.
6. Other services
HD video conferencing, Aadhaar-based authentication, e-tendering, tower co-location (leasing space on its towers to telecom operators), and railway signalling projects.
What Does “Empanelment” Mean?
Empanelment means a company has been reviewed and added to an approved list of partners. Government organisations like RailTel often work with empanelled partners so that, when a project needs software development, web portals or IT services, they can work with companies that have already been evaluated.
Two things are worth being clear about:
- Empanelment is the start of a working relationship, not a guarantee of projects. Any project is awarded and executed through its own process, requirements and approvals.
- Being empanelled shows that a company has met the required checks, which builds trust for organisations looking for a reliable IT partner.
What This Means for Deosoft
- Credibility: Our company has been reviewed and accepted as a partner by a Navratna PSU.
- Wider opportunities: We can be considered for IT and digital projects in the government and institutional space.
- Higher standards: It motivates us to keep improving quality, security and delivery.
What Deosoft Offers
- Custom software and management systems
- HRMS: attendance, leave and payroll
- Government and institutional web portals, with Hindi and English support
- Websites and web applications
- IT services and post-launch support
Our approach stays the same: understand your workflow first, build around it, and support you after launch.
FAQs
Is RailTel only for railways?
No. It started with railway communication, but today it serves many government departments, PSUs, banks and enterprises across India.
Is RailTel a government company?
Yes. It is a public sector enterprise under the Ministry of Railways, and it holds Navratna status.
What is the benefit of being an empanelled partner?
It makes a company eligible to be considered for projects where RailTel needs IT and digital services. It does not guarantee any particular project.
Can organisations work with Deosoft for IT projects?
Yes. You can contact us directly for custom software, web portals and IT services.
Looking for a trusted IT partner for your project? Contact Deosoft for a free consultation.
