BSNL rolling out one lakh indigenous 4G sites across India, says MoS Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar

New Delhi: Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is rolling out one lakh indigenously developed 4G sites across India as part of the government’s efforts to strengthen telecom infrastructure and make the state-owned telecom operator more competitive and financially viable.

Follow The PSUWatch Channel on WhatsApp

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar said the government has approved three revival packages for BSNL amounting to approximately Rs 3.22 lakh crore. The packages include capital infusion, debt restructuring, viability gap funding for rural telephony and provision of spectrum for 4G and 5G services.

The government has also administratively assigned spectrum to BSNL in the 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2500 MHz and 3300 MHz bands at auction-determined prices to enable the rollout of next-generation telecom services.

According to the minister, BSNL has started earning operating profits from FY 2020–21, following the implementation of the revival packages.

Providing details of network expansion, the government said BSNL has added 13,748 2G Base Transceiver Stations (BTS), 39,722 3G BTS (NodeB) and 1,03,305 4G BTS (eNodeB) since 2014.

As part of the indigenous 4G rollout programme, 97,906 4G sites have been installed across the country as of February 28, 2026, of which 96,103 sites are already on-air, significantly strengthening telecom coverage and service capacity.

Follow PSU Watch on LinkedIN

The government is also pushing digital connectivity in rural areas through the Amended BharatNet Programme, approved by the Union Cabinet on August 4, 2023 with an outlay of Rs 1.39 lakh crore. The programme aims to extend fibre connectivity to all Gram Panchayats and villages on a demand basis and facilitate 1.5 crore high-speed FTTH broadband connections in rural areas, with BSNL acting as the Project Management Agency for the scheme.

Additionally, the government is implementing several initiatives to improve telecom connectivity in border and remote areas, including the 4G Saturation Scheme and connectivity for Border Out Posts (BOPs) and Border Intelligence Posts (BIPs).

These initiatives are expected to strengthen telecom infrastructure, improve rural connectivity and support the broader goal of expanding digital access across the country.

(PSU Watch– India's Business News centre that places the spotlight on PSUs, Bureaucracy, Defence and Public Policy is now on Google News. Click here to follow. Also, join PSU Watch Channel in your Telegram. You may also follow us on Twitter here and stay updated.)