PM Modi to Launch BSNL 4G, Boost Rural Internet

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited's (BSNL) much-anticipated 4G network today. This network is built entirely using indigenous technology. Significantly, it will be rolled out simultaneously at 98,000 sites across the country.

BSNL claims that after this launch, high-speed internet will reach every corner of India, from villages to forests and mountainous areas. With this move, India will join a select group of countries that have developed their own telecom technology.

How will the digital map change? (BSNL 4G Launch)
Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia described this launch as "historic" and wrote that the Prime Minister will unveil two major initiatives on Saturday.

The unique feature of BSNL's 4G stack is that it can be directly upgraded to 5G. This means that no major hardware changes will be required; instead, it will convert to 5G with just a software update.

This directly means that internet speed and quality will be consistent across cities and villages. For the first time, the 'Digital India Fund' will ensure access to modern networks even in the most remote areas of the country.

Why are customers leaving BSNL? (BSNL 4G Launch)
However, this launch isn't the beginning of an easy journey for BSNL. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) data for July 2025 shows that BSNL and MTNL are steadily losing subscribers. BSNL lost 1.01 lakh customers in July. MTNL's subscriber base also declined. In contrast, Jio added 4.83 lakh new customers, and Airtel added 4.64 lakh. Vodafone Idea (Vi) lost 3.59 lakh customers. As a result, BSNL's market share fell below 8%.

Reckoning with Past Mistakes (BSNL 4G Launch)
BSNL's current predicament stems from several historical mistakes:

BSNL was launched in 2000 but did not receive government approval to launch mobile services.

Between 2006 and 2012, BSNL's growth was extremely slow, while private operators achieved record-breaking expansion.

BSNL was not allowed to participate in the 3G spectrum auction in 2010.

The company had to pay a huge amount for broadband spectrum based on WiMAX technology, which worsened its financial situation.

Landline connections steadily declined, falling from 38 million in 2006-07 to 16 million in 2014-15.

BSNL was also left out of the 4G spectrum auction.

For all these reasons, even when Jio and Airtel had launched 5G services, BSNL was still stuck preparing for a 4G rollout.

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Now the question: Will this launch inspire confidence? (BSNL 4G Launch)
While BSNL's new 4G launch offers pride in indigenous technology, it also raises the question: will this move revive BSNL, or will it remain part of a list of government promises?

PM Modi has already released a roadmap for 6G networks, and the goal is to have 6G launched in India by 2030. With private operators already working on 5G, this 4G move may be BSNL's last-ditch effort to survive.