Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), a state-run telecom company, is now adding 1 lakh connections every month in rural areas. The telco is working to roll out 4G right now and will be able to do it soon using homegrown technology. Ashwini Vaishnaw, union telecom minister of India, said in Parliament that BSNL is adding more than 1 lakh household connections every month. In addition, the minister said that data consumption had touched 120GB per month in these connections. “In rural areas, having more than 1 lakh household connections every month, providing good bandwidth, providing good connectivity, today the data consumption in these connections is close to 120GB per month,” said Vaishnaw. Vaishnaw also talked about how the government is pushing the local talent in the villages to leverage the infrastructure that is being provided to them for growing the economy. The minister added, “So this new model, where we have taken the local village entrepreneurs on board and making sure that the village economy grows, using the infrastructure which is being provided. I think this model is very good. It is progressing very rapidly, and I am sure in the coming months, honourable members will see the results.” Telecom secretary K Rajaraman had also said that BSNL would be looking to reach villages of the nation with 4G which don’t have high-speed broadband access. BSNL will start rolling out 4G with the help of the TCS (Tata Consultancy Services) led consortium soon. The state-run telco is likely going to take 18 to 24 months to cover the entire nation with its 4G networks. Along with 4G, BSNL would also focus on rolling out 5G in 2023. Vaishnaw said in Parliament that BSNL would be using homegrown technology for both 4G and 5G that it will launch in India. According to the minister, it would take BSNL six to seven months to roll out 5G after 4G.
