BSNL’s revenue affected due to delay in 4G rollout – says Shri Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, Minister of State for Communications.

"BSNL’s revenue has been affected due to delay in the rollout of 4G services and also stiff competition in the mobile segment", Union Minister of State for Communications Shri Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar informed the Parliament. The Minister attributed the delay to the problems in the indigenously developed equipments. In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Shri Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar stated that, BSNL has awarded purchase orders for 1 lakh 4G BTSs, out of which 83,993 BTSs have already been installed and 74,251 are operational as of 8th March, 2025.
 
It is important to note that, BSNL floated a tender in March, 2020 for purchasing 1 lakh 4G BTSs. Through this tender, BSNL could have purchased good quality 4G equipments from reputed international manufacturers like Nokia, Ericsson, Samsung, etc. Jio and Airtel have also purchased their equipments only from these reputed manufacturers. However, the government directed BSNL to cancel it's tender and to purchase 4G equipments only from Indian manufacturers. In accordance with the direction of the government, BSNL has purchased 1 lakh 4G BTSs from the Indian company, TCS. Now, the Minister himself has admitted in the Parliament that, due to the problems in the indigenously developed equipments, BSNL’s 4G rollout is delayed. 

[Date : 28 - Mar - 2025]