BSNL is gearing up to launch 4G services across India, starting in August, utilizing entirely indigenous technology in line with the government's "Atmanirbhar" policy. During the pilot phase, peak speeds of 40-45 megabits per second were achieved on the 4G network, leveraging premium spectrum bands like 700 MHz and 2,100 MHz.
In Punjab, BSNL has already initiated 4G services using technology developed domestically by TCS and a consortium led by C-DoT, with around 800,000 subscribers already onboard. The core network, crucial for providing telecommunication services, has been performing well, with a nationwide rollout planned for August.
Contracts worth approximately Rs 19,000 crore have been awarded to TCS, Tejas Networks, and ITI for the deployment of the 4G network, which can be upgraded to 5G in the future. Tejas Networks highlighted ongoing deployment across various zones, integrating equipment with the existing core where the C-DoT core is not yet accessible.
BSNL is in the process of setting up 112,000 towers for 4G and 5G services nationwide, with over 9,000 towers already installed and more than 6,000 active in certain circles. Customers with older SIM cards will need to upgrade to 4G-capable SIMs to experience the enhanced service.
