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When private operators are preparing for 5G, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has been battling its own war to roll out 4G. The state-owned telecom is finally on its way to delivering India’s first domestic 4G network.
BSNL’s 4G network across India will be driven by domestic technology, from the core network to the whole equipment. BSNL has already made a Rs 550 crore deal with TCS (Tata Consultancy Services) for the procurement of 40W radios for 6000 4G sites across India.
The particular sites that the telco will target for this are unknown, but BSNL will prioritize high-potential regions where it can earn more from consumers in order to achieve a rapid return on investment.
The private Indian telecoms aren’t always poor at what they do. Handling a market of a billion individuals eager to consume services is not a simple challenge. Especially when just three people are involved. As a result, it is difficult for telecom providers to keep everyone pleased.
They can certainly attempt, but it is an impossible feat. Nobody can please everyone all of the time. The problem with each of these operators is that they all have comparable products.
While it is incorrect to dismiss Vodafone Idea Limited’s (VIL) Vi Hero Unlimited perks, there is still the truth that Airtel and Jio provide a better and more consistent mobile network experience.
BSNL, with its in-house 4G, will be the new choice for these dissatisfied customers. Nobody knows what the experience with BSNL will be like right now, but it will be different. All consumers who are dissatisfied with commercial telecoms will have BSNL to look forward to.
BSNL can provide some relief to commercial telecoms’ overburdened networks. Once its 4G networks are operational across the country, the state-owned telecom may aggressively attract additional customers. For the 4G rollout in India, BSNL intends to build approximately 1.12 lakh additional sites.
The initial purchase of 6000 sites is just the beginning; another order of 6000 sites will follow, followed by the remaining 1 lakh sites.
What’s intriguing is that a senior C-DoT (Centre for Development of Telematics) official has also given Indian users reason to be optimistic about BSNL’s 5G service. While working on 4G, BSNL was covertly developing 5G NSA.
Things must move quickly for BSNL if the state-owned telecom is to have any effect on the 4G industry. There is still a long way to go for 4G in India, and if BSNL plays its cards well, India’s dearth of choices might work in its favor.