Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is soon going to launch 4G networks in the country. What will be special about this 4G launch from BSNL is that it will be done using homegrown technology. This is not something that private telecom companies, including Jio, Airtel or Vodafone Idea, can say for themselves. BSNL faced a lot of hurdles in the past when it tried to launch 4G. But this time around, things are looking fresh for BSNL. The state-run telco might finally launch 4G as soon as January.
Govt Trying to Ensure that This Time BSNL 4G Launch Happens!
The Indian government is ensuring that everything not only happens fast but in the right manner. The 4G from BSNL can do a lot of good for India and its consumers. It could offload the congested 4G networks of private telcos and result in a better experience for everyone.
BSNL is taking the help of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to roll out 4G in the nation. It has been reported that BSNL completed 4G PoC with TCS back in October 2022 in Chandigarh. The next step for BSNL is to sign a commercial agreement with TCS. The government has already given green light to BSNL to place the order with TCS.
TCS will be the lone bidder for BSNL's 4G rollout project. The IT major will have to maintain the network for BSNL for the next 10 years. The last date for placing the bidding was November 18, 2022. If everything happens in time and in the correct order, then we can see BSNL's 4G by the end of this year or early 2023.
If BSNL is able to launch 4G soon, it will be able to launch 5G soon. C-DoT already displayed its indigenous 5G core at the recently held India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2022. The solution can help BSNL in launching 5G NSA (non-standalone) network services in select parts of the country. The government also wants BSNL to launch 5G fast, and Ashwini Vaishnaw, telecom minister, has said multiple times that BSNL would launch 5G in 2023. Vaishnaw has said that BSNL's 5G would launch on August 15, 2023. This is something that we will have to wait for as the date is quite far from here.
