There are two telecom operators in the country who are suffering at the hands of the incumbent and the top-performing other telecom operators. One is a private telecom company, and the other is a public-owned telecom operator. No more words need to be mentioned for the readers to know whom we are talking about. But, it’s also true that every telco has something unique to offer to the subscribers, which is helping them survive in the industry. For Reliance Jio, it’s the pricing, whereas BSNL seems to be at a disadvantage given its lack of a 4G network. But looking at the wired broadband scenario, the tale seems to be singing a completely different tune.
BSNL's Recent Success in Wired Broadband
As per BSNL’s official figures, the public telecom operator added 1.1 lakh wired subscribers, out of which most subscribers were in Kerala and the second most subscribers being from Tamil Nadu. It’s not a secret that BSNL’s Kerala circle is a jewel in the crown for the public telecom company. All the most innovative, invigorating, and attractive schemes of BSNL first cradle in the Kerala circle before finding their way to the rest of the country, and the same is true for BSNL 4G.
Diverging a little from this trend, BSNL’s broadband business has found its foothold in almost all corners of the country, where it is offering vastly similar plans which compete with the likes of Reliance Jio, You Broadband, and Tata Sky broadband. Hence, we see a wide divide between the mobile broadband network of BSNL and its wired broadband service. The expansive network of BSNL, which spans nooks and crannies of the country, is also a help in extending these FTTH broadband services to the remotest locations. The pandemic has already driven the demand for data and people’s want for a stable wired connection. BSNL has found a catalyst in this demand and hammered a nail on hot iron.
BSNL Bundling OTT Subscriptions
The last nail in the coffin for BSNL was perhaps the inclusion of OTT subscriptions along with its plans. Firstly, BSNL slowly started ramping up its speed, and then it started adding OTT subscriptions. Which now includes Disney+ and Hotstar Premium.
The thing to note here is that while most bundled Hotstar subscriptions are VIP ones and not Premium and there’s quite a price difference between VIP and Premium Hotstar subscriptions. This makes the Rs 999 and Rs 1,499 BSNL broadband plan a very attractive option.
This new turning wave signals that what BSNL might be missing out on the 4G front, it might be on the path of making up via broadband revenue. Of course, there is a long way to go for the public telecom operator. But combined with a government stimulus, some good intention, management, and such attractive plans, BSNL might turn its luck on its head to become an industry headliner once again. Perhaps what can be a pragmatic move for the public telecom operator might be bundling prepaid, and BSNL FTTH offers in a single bundle to provide the customers with discounts, as is the case with Airtel Black.
