Residents of border states in India can now anticipate improved mobile and data connectivity as Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL), the state-owned telecom operator, has initiated the installation of 20,000 4G towers, according to a Livemint report. The project aims to ensure connectivity in far-flung areas and is part of the government's ambitious 4G saturation plan.
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4G saturation plan
"The telecom operator has been assigned the work of ensuring connectivity at all far-flung areas under the government's 4G saturation plan," the report quoted an official aware of the plans saying.
Around 25,000 villages, predominantly lacking any form of connectivity, will be covered under this initiative. BSNL has already started the work, the official added.
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Approved by the Union cabinet in July last year, the project began implementation in February 2023. To fund this massive endeavour, the government has allocated Rs 26,316 crore from the Universal Service Obligation Fund. The project is expected to be executed within a timeline of 500 days.
BSNL's 4G Services and Infrastructure
The report also quoted a second official saying, "The government aims to bring 4G to all areas across the country. It so happens that several of such areas are in states that have borders with other countries, while in some states, the number of towers is low in locations where the terrain is unfavourable, adding some of the towers could well be outside the border states, but fall within the 4G saturation plan."
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BSNL's initiative to install these towers coincides with the company's own rollout of 4G services, utilizing the technology stack developed by India's Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT). As part of the pilot phase, BSNL has already established 200 4G sites in Punjab and is set to begin commercial operations this month.
BSNL recently placed an advance purchase order worth more than Rs 15,000 crore to support the infrastructure requirements with Tata Consultancy Services and ITI Ltd.
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The second official said the project aims to cover 24,680 villages without any connectivity. This will necessitate the installation of 16,464 towers, which will be managed and maintained by BSNL. Moreover, an additional provision has been made for approximately 5,000 villages, requiring an extra 3,258 towers, thereby bringing the total number of towers to over 19,700, extending connectivity to more than 29,000 villages.
Impact and Future Plans
Of the estimated 640,000 villages in India, around 575,000 already have mobile telephony and data connectivity, albeit with limited services such as 2G or 3G. The 4G saturation plan seeks to bridge this digital divide by ensuring that all villages in the country have access to 4G services by 2024.
While private telecom service providers like Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea currently cater to over 1 billion people, BSNL plays a crucial role in fulfilling the country's communication needs, especially in remote and challenging terrain areas where private operators have limited reach. BSNL's services cover more than 100 million individuals in such regions.
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With the implementation of this significant project, BSNL and the government are poised to bring about a substantial improvement in connectivity in border states and underserved areas. This development will narrow the digital divide, allowing residents to access 4G services and facilitating their communication needs effectively.
