The government has prepared a Rs 47,000 crore capital expenditure (capex) plan to bolster BSNL’s nationwide network, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) said on Thursday. The investment will focus on expanding and upgrading 4G and 5G capabilities, modernising switching centers and transmission systems, improving last-mile connectivity and enhancing service quality for both urban and rural subscribers.
“With a record Rs 25,000 crore capex last year and a fresh Rs 47,000 crore plan in place, India’s telecom growth story is getting stronger,” the DoT said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Network expansion and strategic review
Last month, BSNL deployed 100,000 mobile towers through a consortium led by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), along with the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT), Tejas Networks, and ITI Limited.
In a first-of-its-kind initiative last month, Union telecom minister Jyotiraditya Scindia convened a 12-hour meeting with all 32 BSNL CGMs to review performance across enterprise business, consumer mobility, and consumer fixed access verticals.
The minister directed BSNL to raise its average revenue per user (Arpu)—a key growth metric—by improving customer satisfaction and expanding its subscriber base.
Profitability and tech partnerships
BSNL returned to profitability in FY25 after 18 years, posting Rs 262 crore in Q3 and Rs 280 crore in Q4, with Ebitda nearly doubling to Rs 5,400 crore in FY25.
As reported earlier, BSNL has also signed Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) with Ericsson India, Qualcomm Technologies, Cisco Systems, and Nokia Solutions and Networks India to conduct training programs in 5G, artificial intelligence, machine learning, networking, and cybersecurity.