BSNL 5G rollout may begin by Makar Sankranti in January 2025

BSNL’s 5G push: Government-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is reportedly planning to roll out its 5G services in select locations by Makar Sankranti in January next year. A top BSNL executive confirmed that the company is upgrading its network sites and necessary equipment for 5G deployment as early as January. BSNL is working with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to upgrade its 4G sites across the country to support 5G, resulting in lower expenditure to kick off the next-generation wireless services.

L Sreenu, principal general manager of BSNL Andhra Pradesh, told The Hindu, that BSNL will initially launch 5G NSA (non-standalone) services to areas with 4G connectivity. While the 4G deployment is moving ahead aggressively with 1 lakh sites planned to go live by the end of financial year 2024-25, the government-run telecom company is planning to roll out 5G in different phases. The company has so far upgraded 25,000 sites, but lags behind Reliance Jio and Airtel that kicked off 5G deployment in 2022. Previously, BSNL said it would be ready to launch 5G services by August 15th last year.

Meanwhile, BSNL customers in several circles are still waiting for 4G services. BSNL currently offers 4G services in some parts of western and southern India.

New BSNL service coming

Sreenu has also confirmed that BSNL is working on a project, called ‘Sarvathra Wi-Fi, to make its Wi-Fi network available to customers even when they move from one location to another. In simple words, BSNL is working on bringing a system where customers can continue to use the company’s Wi-Fi services when they relocate from one location to another. BSNL offers its optical fibre-based internet services throughout the country, so it will be easier for the company to offer seamless wireless broadband connectivity to customers in case of relocations. Leading telecom companies, such as Jio and Airtel, already offer the facility to move a wireless broadband connection from one location to another.