Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited has gained a lot of popularity after the recent tariff hike from private telecom operators such as Jio, Airtel, and Vi in India. These operators have hiked both their prepaid and postpaid recharge plans by up to 15 percent. Due to this, many users switched to BSNL due to its affordable recharge plans. The company also took advantage of the situation and paced up its 4G rollout to attract more customers for its depleting user base. If you are an existing BSNL subscriber or planning to switch to BSNL, the state-owned telecom operator has revealed its 4G rollout timeline.
BSNL 4G rollout timeline
According to a statement by telecom minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, BSNL will roll out 1 lakh 4G towers by mid-2025. It was also stated that 25,000 villages are scheduled to have telecom connectivity by mid-2025. The minister said such villages without telecom and mobile internet will be connected by the state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam.
BSNL planned to install 75,000 4G sites by Diwali 2024 but has only installed 25,000 so far. India is committed to developing its own 4G network. Jio has made strides with its 5G technology but still relies on external vendors for its 4G infrastructure.
BSNL aims to lead the way in indigenous 4G development and is already testing 5G. TCS, along with C-DoT and Tejas Networks, is providing the technological backbone for BSNL's 4G rollout.
India's aspirations go beyond 4G and 5G, with a focus on securing 10 percent global patents in the emerging 6G landscape.
BSNL's 4G rollout is expected to be completed by mid-2025, with potential challenges in attracting new customers due to the delayed launch. The company's ability to regain lost market share will depend on its competitive pricing and services in a highly competitive market.
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