BSNL @ 25: Nation’s Own Network Enters the Indigenous 4G Era

Dimapur | September 26: BSNL was corporatized (1st Oct 2000), inheriting DoT’s nationwide operations and universal-service mandate. In its Silver Jubilee year Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is rolling out pan-India 4G on an indigenous 4G/5G-ready C-DoT core + TCS/Tejas RAN/integration reaffirming the Government of India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision for strategic telecom. The Hon’ble Prime Minister of India will commission more than 97,500 mobile 4G towers built at a cost of around Rs.37,000 crore with swadeshi technology, tomorrow, at Jharsuguda, Odisha. This includes more than 92,600 4G technology sites commissioned by BSNL.  Over 18,900 4G sites have been funded under the Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) which will connect around 26,700 unconnected villages in remote, border, and left-wing extremism-affected areas, serving over 2 million new subscribers. These towers are solar-powered, making them India’s largest cluster of green telecom sites and a step forward in sustainable infrastructure.

BSNL’s 4G Saturation Project is a transformative step targeting rural and remote villages lacking reliable connectivity. Launched to bridge the urban-rural digital divide, the project prioritises a 4G/5G-ready network and addresses complex challenges such as high-altitude regions like Ladakh (−40°C resilience, hybrid power systems) and optimising low-revenue rural areas through cross-subsidisation. 

This is not just a project for BSNL, it is an international technological breakthrough. It places India in an exclusive club of only five countries in the world capable of building and deploying a complete mobile-network stack.

Under this vision, in BSNL NE-II Circle, comprising of 3 states viz. Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur, a total 1969 sites have been planned for installation of swadeshi 4G network. Out of 1969, 1238 sites are planned for 4G Saturation Project, under DBN, covering 1729 villages (Arunachal Pradesh-982, Manipur-380, Nagaland-421) and 731 sites (Arunachal Pradesh-289, Manipur-255, Nagaland-187) for upgrading existing 2G/3G towers to 4G. 

As on date, 783 villages (Arunachal Pradesh–243 sites covering 503 villages, Manipur–36 sites covering 50 villages and Nagaland–190 sites covering 230 villages) have been put On-Air for providing 4G networks in uncovered villages. 

BSNL’s journey has reached a defining moment after 18 years. In NE-II Circle total revenue rose 5.5% year-on-year to 171 crore in FY 25-26 in comparison to 162 crore in FY 24-25, while EBITDA turnaround to 30.67 crore positive with margins improving substantially. These gains, driven by strong and dedicated workforce, cost discipline, 4G expansion, asset monetisation, and stronger Enterprise/FTTH connections, underscore that BSNL is not just turning around, but emerging stronger.