Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has started rolling out 4G in Punjab. The company has completed the beta testing with 200 sites and is now looking to complete the 4G rollout in Punjab by the coming December. The state-run telecom company aims to deploy 4G across the country by June 2024, after which the focus would shift to 5G rollout, confirmed Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of BSNL, P.K. Purwar. As reported by PTI, Purwar said that BSNL is in the process of installing 3000 sites in Punjab.
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The deployment will slowly be scaled to 6,000, and then 9,000, 12,000, and 15,000 sites per month. One of the big statements by Purwar during the IMC 2023 was that BSNL aims to complete its 4G rollout by June 2024. After that, the company wants to start rolling out 5G. At the IMC 2023, the radio gear that Tejas Networks is providing to BSNL was showcased. BSNL's entire 4G network will be homegrown. Even the telco's 5G will be homegrown as it will be released using the same equipment that Tejas Networks has provided to the company.
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BSNL will be offering 4G in rural areas and places where high-speed broadband access is missing. This will enable India to reduce the digital divide that exists and also provide more people with opportunities that the digital world presents. BSNL's 4G is expected to be more affordable than what private telcos offer their 4G for.
BSNL's loss widened to Rs 8161.56 crore for FY23. However, the government expects the company to become profitable by FY27. The growth of the wireless network services business will be fueled by 4G and 5G in the coming years for BSNL. The state-run telecom company aims to be more affordable than its competitors.
