Union Minister for Communication and Development of the North East, Jyotiraditya Scindia, announced that BSNL will launch its 4G network this October and will soon follow with 5G services. Speaking at the India News event organised by The Sunday Guardian Foundation, he underscored India’s remarkable economic ascent, pointing out that the country has advanced from the 11th to the 5th position among the world’s largest economies.
Scindia highlighted the ongoing efforts of his ministry. He expressed optimism about India’s advancements in the telecom sector, noting the country’s significant progress from being a follower in 4G to becoming a leader in 6G. “India is transitioning from being a follower in 4G, keeping pace with 5G, to leading in 6G. This growth is evident across all sectors,” he remarked.
Addressing the price hikes by telecom giants like Jio, Airtel, and Vodafone, Scindia noted that India offers the most affordable internet globally. The cost of 1 GB has decreased significantly from Rs 270 in 2014 to just Rs 9 in 2024. Similarly, voice call costs have dropped from 51 paise per minute in 2014 to just 3 paise per minute this year. The capital expenditure for 5G is set at Rs. 4,26 crore, and the recent tariff increases are minimal compared to global standards. Regarding 5G, Scindia revealed that 17 crore customers have adopted the new technology, with 4.5 lakh transmission systems installed across the country.
The deployment of 19 lakh base transceiver stations (BTS) for 4G highlights the extensive infrastructure in place. Quality of service remains a top priority, and Scindia emphasised the importance of India achieving self-reliance in telecommunications, citing the Tejas network as a successful example. Additionally, the number of BSNL towers is set to expand to 80,000 by October.
He added that the BSNL 4G network will be installed only when we produce our 4G stack in our country and make the whole world aware that India has become a leader in the telecom sector. Regarding BSNL, we discussed that BSNL has now expanded its network to 4G. “We are currently in the process of installing 4G towers as well as expanding to 5G networks, which has caused some delays. We faced two options: either purchase telecom equipment from international companies, spending a significant amount of Indian rupees in foreign currency, or rely completely on this imported telecom equipment for our communication network. This reliance is not only a commercial risk but also a security risk. If a foreign system were compromised or a bug introduced, our entire domestic system would be at risk. The Prime Minister has decided that we must pursue self-reliance, even in remote areas.
