Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) in Andhra Pradesh (AP) has achieved a milestone of 100,000 SIM activations in just 23 days. This achievement was announced by BSNL Andhra Pradesh on X (formerly known as Twitter) on Saturday, July 27. However, no details were provided regarding whether these activations were direct or through Mobile Number Portability (MNP). In May, BSNL launched its indigenous 4G technology in the Chittoor District of Andhra Pradesh, with plans to expand it across the state soon.
— BSNL_Andhrapradesh (@bsnl_ap_circle) July 27, 2024
— BSNL_Andhrapradesh (@bsnl_ap_circle) July 27, 2024
Tariff Revision to Attract Subscribers
Following a tariff revision in early July, BSNL has been promoting its tariffs as more affordable and competitive to attract subscribers. It’s worth noting that BSNL currently lacks nationwide 4G coverage, unlike private telecom providers. Among the three major private players, Airtel and Jio are already offering 5G services with unlimited benefits.
BSNL’s 4G and 5G
According to a recent CNBC report, the government informed Parliament on July 24 that BSNL’s 4G services may take another year to roll out. The state-owned telecom operator is expected to complete its 4G network deployment by June 2025. So far, BSNL has activated only 1,000 sites, with a goal of establishing 100,000 sites across the country. However, a report cited a senior BSNL official stating that the company has installed nearly 12,000 4G towers and aims to launch nationwide 4G services by the end of 2024, with 5G services to follow early next year.
BSNL’s Wireless Subscriber Base
BSNL has been experiencing a decline in its wireless subscriber base, losing subscribers month over month. In May, BSNL and MTNL together lost 516,074 wireless subscribers, reducing their combined subscriber base to 88.25 million. In Andhra Pradesh specifically, BSNL lost 3,192 wireless subscribers in May, bringing its subscriber base in the state to 6.3 million, placing it last among the four major operators in the region. Notably, BSNL is not the leading telecom provider in any circle in India.
