India’s state-owned operator BSNL plans to roll out 4G services

India’s state-owned operator BSNL plans to roll out 4G services is profiled by BTW Media because published evidence links it to internet infrastructure, governance, operational dependencies, or market visibility.

• BSNL has installed around 25,000 4G towers across the country and has started distributing 4G SIM cards to customers.
• The company is aiming to launch commercial 5G in 2025, and the government has urged the company to utilise Indian resources for its network, which has raised concerns among BSNL employees.

OUR TAKE
Unlike its private competitors, BSNL has not increased its prices recently, making its 4G services potentially more affordable. However, the quality of service offered will ultimately determine whether BSNL will be able to attract more subscribers, and the government should urge that Indian resources be utilised on its network to advance the country’s communications industry.
— Iydia Ding, BTW reporter

What happened

India’s state-owned operator BSNL plans to launch 4G services in October in, according to local news outlets.

The decision comes after positive trial results. BSNL has already installed around 25,000 4G towers across the country and has started distributing 4G SIM cards to customers. However, there are still a number of trials that need to be conducted before the official launch of 4G services.

As BSNL’s customer base using 2G and 3G continued to decline in the last financial year. Employee unions have suggested using Vodafone Idea’s network for 4G services for the time being, but the proposal has not yet been accepted. Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia is closely monitoring BSNL’s progress in launching 4G services and has set daily targets for the project.

The company aims to deploy 100,000 4G sites by the end of the current financial year on 31 March 2025 and has already completed 25,000 sites. Moreover, the company is also planning to launch commercial 5G in 2025.

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Why it’s important

India’s 5G business is positive, with Reliance acquiring 108 million 5G users at the end of June, while Airtel has acquired 72 million. However, unlike its private sector competitors, BSNL has not raised prices recently, so it is likely that its 4G service will be cheaper. Given the overall needs of users, the right price may be the right price for the nationwide launch of the 5G network.

However, the quality of the services provided will ultimately determine whether the BSNL will attract more users. As the core of technological progress, in order to meet the needs of industrial Internet development and improve production efficiency, the acquisition of communication technology is crucial. The government should urge India to use its network resources to promote the transformation and upgrading of the real economy through digitalisation, networking and intelligence, empower various vertical industries and fields, and finally achieve the prosperity of the national science and technology industry.