Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is struggling to stay on its feet due to not having 4G presence in India. The same was pointed out by the DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran. According to a PTI report, engaging in words with BJP members during the question hour in Lok Sabha, Maran said BSNL’s 4G and 5G services are missing and only the government is to blame here.
Maran said while the former telecom minister had assured that both BSNL and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) would be able to provide users with 4G and 5G services, why hasn’t it happened yet. Maran said that BSNL has been losing customers to Reliance Jio which is supported by the government. The DMK MP even said that PM Modi was the poster boy of the Jio photos advertised.
Speaker Om Birla Asked Not to Put Allegations
The statements from Maran attracted a chorus of responses from the BJP members sitting in the Lok Sabha. To stop the matter right there, Speaker Om Birla stepped in and asked the members to only ask questions related to their respective states and constituencies or policy matters. Speaker asked the members to avoid putting allegations during the session.
While the private telcos are halfway through with their 5G trials, BSNL is still planning to launch 4G network services in India. The state-run telco had said that it would be able to launch PAN-India 4G by September 2022. BSNL will be at least five to six years late for launching 4G.
The telco is going ahead with network equipment grown indigenously in India. This will poise it to launch homegrown 5G as well. Since 4G is not going anywhere for a long-time, BSNL can still make its 4G services count backed by strong network coverage and good speeds throughout India. BSNL has also taken over the mobile operations of MTNL.
