BSNL’s timeline for 5G roll out has changed once again. The company, while speaking at 5G launch event during India Mobile Congress 2022, had announced that BSNL will rollout its 5G services by August 15, 2023. This has changed now as the latest report suggests it will happen in 2024 now.
BSNL will start rolling out its 5G services in India in 2024, a PTI report quotes Union Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. The minister said this while speaking at the launch of 5G services of Jio and Airtel in Odisha.
“BSNL will start 5G services in 2024,” Vaishnaw said while speaking to reporters.
Ahead of that, the company is also gearing up to launch its 4G services this year. Reportedly, the state-owned telecom operator has shortlisted a TCS and C-DOT led consortium for rolling out 4G network, which will be upgraded to 5G in about a year of placing the order under the contract.
BSNL at the sixth edition of India Mobile Congress announced its 4G and 5G roll out plans in the country. The company was expected to roll out 4G services by November 2022 but that didn’t happen. Now there are fresh reports that BSNL 4G could finally come by August this year. The company is said to be in with IT giant TCS and State-led R&D organisation, C-DOT-led partnership to deliver locally developed 4G services
Company’s chairman and MD, PK Purwar, while speaking at the IMC 2022 said that BSNL 4G will be serviceable in 1.25 lakh 4G mobile sites by May 2024 adding the 4G network gears being purchased by the company will be upgraded to 5G via software updates.
Vaishnaw said the Modi government has allocated Rs 5,600 crore for strengthening the telecom connectivity in the state. Vaishnaw recently said that the government is on track to launch the 4G services in India by January 2023.
With PTI inputs
