Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has faced delays in launching 4G services as it awaits homegrown technology from Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). Despite BSNL officials’ assurances of imminent 4G deployment, the current status of the technology remains uncertain. This delay has led to BSNL losing customers to private telecom operators offering 4G services without additional charges.
In response to the customer exodus, BSNL employees have proposed an unconventional solution to the Indian government. They suggest utilizing Vodafone Idea’s 4G infrastructure to temporarily provide 4G services to BSNL customers, aiming to stem short-term port-outs.
According to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) data, BSNL witnessed a significant loss of subscribers, with over 22 million subscribers lost in August 2023 and an additional 23 million in September 2023. BSNL Employee Union (EU) attributed this decline to the absence of high-speed networks.
The BSNL EU, in a letter to Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, mentioned BSNL’s plan to launch 4G services in December 2024, as stated by CMD P K Purwar. However, the completion of field trials for the TCS technology is still pending. Given the Indian government’s substantial stake in Vodafone Idea (Vi), the BSNL EU suggested leveraging Vi’s 4G network to offer BSNL customers 4G services.
While the proposal from BSNL EU underscores the employees’ desperation, it may not be a practical solution. Utilizing Vi’s 4G capacity for BSNL services faces challenges, as Vi operates as a public company with its own shareholders and board decisions that may not align with such arrangements.
