The Indian government has approved an additional INR 6,000 crore to support Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited's (BSNL) ongoing 4G deployment, officials familiar with the matter said.
BSNL, which also oversees Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited’s (MTNL) operations in Delhi and Mumbai, has been struggling with subscriber losses due to the absence of a nationwide 4G network. While the state-run telecom firm saw a temporary rise in customers following private telecom operators’ tariff hikes in July last year, the trend has since reversed.
Officials stated that BSNL aims to curb customer attrition with the nationwide 4G rollout and is also planning to introduce 5G at select locations soon.
In 2023, BSNL announced an advance purchase order worth INR 19,000 crore for 100,000 4G sites. However, when the actual purchase order was placed with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and state-owned ITI Limited, it amounted to INR 13,000 crore. The newly approved funds will cover the remaining INR 6,000 crore. So far, BSNL has rolled out 65,000 4G sites.
Since 2019, the government has invested approximately INR 3.22 lakh crore in BSNL and MTNL through three revival packages, which included funding for 4G expansion. As a result, the telecom firms began generating operating profits from the fiscal year 2020-21, according to government data.
BSNL was mandated to deploy 4G using an indigenously developed technology stack by the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT) and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) consortium, despite resistance from some senior executives who had advocated for global vendors’ equipment.
4G Rollout Timeline:
BSNL Union Calls for Immediate 4G Access via Vi Network
BSNL Plans Nationwide 4G Launch in August
BSNL Launches Indigenous 4G Site in Kolkata
BSNL Prepares for 4G Launch in Chennai and Surrounding Districts
