Saturday, November 9, 2024

BSNL completes deployment of over 50,000 indigenous 4G sites nationwide under Atma Nirbhar Bharat initiative

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has successfully deployed more than 50,000 indigenous 4G sites nationwide, the Ministry of Communications announced on Wednesday. In a press release, the ministry called it a landmark move under the Government’s Atma Nirbhar Bharat initiative.

These deployments have been done in collaboration with Indian tech giants like Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Tejas Networks, the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), and ITI Ltd. The ministry said that this achievement showcases the strength of India’s homegrown technology in fulfilling the country’s connectivity needs.

Designed, developed, and implemented entirely by Indian companies, BSNL’s 4G network embodies the concept of “Poorn Swadeshi” (Completely Indigenous) innovation, ushering in a new era for telecom in India.

As per ministry data, BSNL has installed over 50,000 sites by 29th October, 2024, of which more than 41,000 are now operational. Nearly 36,747 sites were established under the Phase IX.2 of the project and 5,000 sites were under the 4G Saturation Project funded by Digital Bharat Nidhi Fund erstwhile Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF). These efforts are bolstering BSNL’s goal to deploy over 1,00,000 4G sites, a testament to its swift pace of expansion.

Till July 2024, BSNL has put on Air 15000 sites. Moreover, the last three months have witnessed the addition of over 25,000 new 4G sites.

The ongoing deployment of 4G sites is part of a ₹24,500 crore contract awarded to a consortium led by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to provide 4G equipment for 100,000 new telecom towers. The contract also includes network gear, third-party items and a 10-year annual maintenance contract (AMC).

The consortium includes Tata group-backed IT hardware firm Tejas Networks, Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) which developed the indigenous 4G core, and ITI Ltd.