Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia announced on Saturday that Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL), the government-run telecommunications company, is witnessing a surge in its subscriber base. The minister also revealed that a homegrown 4G network is ready, with efforts underway to upgrade it to 5G.
Speaking to reporters, Scindia highlighted the strides made under the Atma Nirbhar Bharat initiative. "Under Atma Nirbhar Bharat, a 4G network with indigenous technology is ready and will be available across the country through BSNL in a few months," he said.
Addressing questions about BSNL's delayed 4G rollout compared to private players like Jio, Airtel, and Vodafone, Scindia emphasised the government's commitment to using indigenous technology. "It was the prime minister's resolution that if we have to develop a government-run company's network, we will not use equipment from China or any other foreign country," he stated.
The minister detailed the development process, noting that India has become the fifth country globally to develop its own 4G stack, core system, and towers, collectively known as the Radio Access Network (RAN). "It took us one and a half years to achieve this milestone," he added.
Scindia also provided an update on the infrastructure development. "We are working on erecting the towers, with companies like Tejas Network, C-DOT, and TCS contributing to various fields. BSNL is implementing this project," he explained. "We aim to install 80,000 towers by the end of October and the remaining 21,000 by March next year, totaling one lakh towers of the 4G network by March 2025."
The minister assured that this development would facilitate speedy downloads and improved television viewing experiences. He also highlighted the future potential of the network. "We can use 5G on this 4G core. Some changes will be needed in the towers for 5G services, and work on this is underway. We will soon complete the journey from 4G to 5G," Scindia noted.
Additionally, Scindia claimed that several telecom customers are switching to BSNL from private service providers, citing improved service promises. "We have assured them that our service will be prompt," he said.
Earlier in the day, the minister arrived in Gwalior and offered prayers at a temple in neighbouring Morena.
This announcement marks a significant milestone in India's telecommunications sector, showcasing the country's capability to develop and implement advanced technologies independently.
