Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), a state-run Indian telecom operator, has announced that it has deployed 5000 indigenous 4G sites in Kerala. The company has so far installed more than 65,000 4G sites with indigenous technology PAN-India. BSNL's 4G technology is provided by Indian tech companies. Not only that, but BSNL;'s 4G tariffs are the lowest in the world. This brings BSNL closer to its goal of deploying 1 lakh 4G sites throughout India by June 2025.
Read More - Jio, Airtel and Vi Cheapest Postpaid Plans
Of course, that won't be the final destination for BSNL, but only the achievement of one major milestone. To deepen coverage and expand its network footprint, BSNL will have to deploy more sites in more areas of the country. After the 1 lakh 4G sites, BSNL will also look to deploy 5G with the tech supplied by Indian companies. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is more than ready to help BSNL in upgrading the 4G sites to 5G as well.
The technology stack which BSNL has deployed for 4G can be switched to 5G with a software upgrade. The company can deploy 5G NSA (non-standalone) like Airtel has done throughout India. However, it is also worth noting that BSNL is testing 5G SA (standalone) with Indian companies. This testing hasn't really started yet, and the company is still finalising tenders at the moment. The 5G SA testing will take place in the national capital New Delhi.
Read More - Bharti Airtel First Recharge Coupons and Activation/Deactivation Rules
Whether BSNL plans to deploy 5G SA right away is something we don't know. However, very soon, BSNL's 4G network could reach your area if it hasn't already. The best thing is that it is powered by Indian tech. BSNL also doesn't plan to hike the tariffs any time soon despite launching 4G for the customers.
