BSNL Made Over 15,000 4G Sites, Preparing to Launch 5G Service Next Year

There are signs of improvement in the performance of the government telecom company Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), which has been running in losses for the last few years. BSNL has said that it has created more than 15,000 4G sites under the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ campaign. The company is planning to convert these sites into 5G later.

BSNL said in a post on the social media platform X, “Proud to announce the creation of more than 15,000 4G sites under Aatmanirbhar Bharat.” Recently, the Telecom Department shared the image of BSNL’s 5G SIM card on X. This indicated the preparation of BSNL’s 5G service launch with indigenous technology. Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has also tested its 5G enabled phone call.

Recently, Scindia had said that the number of BSNL subscribers is increasing. Along with this, the indigenous 4G network is ready. Work is being done to convert this network into 5G. Scindia had said that under ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, a 4G network using indigenous technology is ready and in a few months its service will be available across the country through BSNL. He said, “When Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel launched 4G networks, many people asked why not BSNL? It was the Prime Minister’s resolve that if we have to develop the network of a government telecom company, then we will not use equipment from China or any other country.” It was decided that an indigenous technology would be developed.

BSNL is facing a tough challenge from private telecom companies. Big telecom companies like Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel have started their 5G service in almost the entire country. Due to this, BSNL was losing a large number of subscribers in the last few months. However, after the tariff hike last month, some subscribers from private telecom companies have shifted to BSNL. Earlier, the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to help BSNL.