After a long wait, the public-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is all set to launch its 4G mobile services in the country by 1 March this year.
The telecom operator has been waiting to get the nod from the Department of Telecom (DoT) to launch its network on the latest available technology platform, giving it the ammunition to compete with other private-run telcos in the country.
The development has been mentioned in this Hindu Business Line report, where sources have been quoted saying, BSNL is seeking release of the 4G spectrum from DoT to commercially start its operation. While many had predicted BSNL would be sold off to the highest, the current government has been looking for ways to recapitalise the company.
The report also points out BSNL is ready to pay salaries for the month of December 2019 to its employees, which is likely to be given in the coming days.
It remains to be seen if BSNL still has the acumen to compete with bigger established players like Reliance Jio and Airtel among others.
BSNL’s expected revival could also boost the coffers of the Indian government, which has been entangled in a battle with Airtel and Vodafone Idea, who’re supposed to be paying off their dues on adjusted gross revenues (AGR) by end of this week.
We still don’t know at what prices BSNL is being offered the 4G spectrum, as that will most likely have an impact on how much the user on BSNL network will be expected to pay for its services. Also, whether BSNL will get enough network range to make sure its 4G works across wide parts of the country.
Either ways, it’ll be intriguing to see what BSNL does between now and the launch of its 4G service.
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