BSNL 4G/5G networks to be deployed over next 18 months, says TCS

TCS has verified that it will be able to roll out 4G for BSNL in 1 lakh sites in around 12 to 18 months.

In various areas of India, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) will shortly begin providing high-speed network services. For BSNL, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is providing and delivering a domestic, end-to-end telecom stack over 1 lakh sites.

With a software update, the 4G networks of BSNL are claimed to be capable can be quickly converted to 5G. According to TCS, it will take between 12 and 18 months to deploy 4G for BSNL at 1 lakh sites. This indicates that BSNL will have 4G at 1 lakh locations in India by the beginning of 2025. TCS has verified that it will be able to roll out 4G for BSNL in 1 lakh sites in around 12 to 18 months.

Field trials have already been carried out by BSNL in four Punjabi districts. As a result, Punjab is quite likely to be the first state in the nation to have BSNL install its own 4G network. It is important to note that BSNL will launch domestic 4G as the nation's first telecom provider. The commercial telcos used the assistance of international multinational corporations to roll out 4G and 5G.

BSNL is in charge of ensuring connectivity in every remote location as part of the government’s 4G saturation plan. The Union Cabinet approved a project in 2022 to provide 4G mobile connections to all of the country’s disconnected villages.

Tejas Networks reported in September that it received a Rs 750 crore advance from Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) for providing 4G/5G equipment to BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited). Tejas will take care of the site maintenance in addition to providing the equipment.

According to Tejas Networks, in August, TCS awarded it a contract worth Rs 7492 crore to provide 4G/5G RAN (radio access network) for BSNL’s PAN India mobile network. In the coming years, BSNL plans to install 4G/5G at 100,000 sites. 20% of these locations will be launched by ITI, and TCS will launch the remaining sites.

The IT and communications minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw, had previously stated that BSNL would begin rolling out 300 sites per day after September.  In July 2023, the state-run telecom provider deployed 200 locations with its domestic 4G as part of a beta experiment. The state of Punjab hosted the beta trial.