BSNL Introduces 4G and 5G-Ready OTA, Universal SIM Platform in India for Better Service Quality

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) announced a new 4G and 5G-ready over-the-air (OTA) and Universal SIM (USIM) platform on Friday. With this move, the Indian state-owned telecommunications provider aims to improve its service quality and connectivity in line with the government's “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiative. Its introduction gives users the freedom to swap their SIM cards without regional restrictions. The platform has been developed with Pyro Holdings, a telecommunications development firm.

BSNL 4G, 5G-Ready OTA Platform

According to a post on X (formerly Twitter) by BSNL, the platform was inaugurated in Chandigarh, with a disaster recovery site set up at Tiruchirappalli or Trichy in Tamil Nadu. Catering to BSNL users nationwide, the platform aims to improve the telecommunications services and network capabilities of the state-owned provider.

It is claimed to result in faster network speeds and better coverage across India. Furthermore, it also brings ease of number portability and swapping SIMs, as users can replace their SIM cards without geographical restrictions.

Making the announcement, Ravi A. Robert Jerard, Chairman and Managing Director of BSNL said, “This platform will be immensely useful for customers seeking SIM replacement without geographical restrictions, aiding in modification of SIM profile and remote file management on SIM cards.”

The platform supports both 4G and 5G networks in India, the latter of which is reported to arrive within six to eight months of BSNL achieving its March 2025 target of 4G rollout. BSNL says it can help bridge the digital divide in rural regions and remote areas. It is also claimed to align with the Government of India's “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiative which aims to make citizens and the country self-reliant in all senses.

BSNL is reported to complete the full-fledged rollout of its 4G services by March 2025. At present, the telecom provider has set up 15,000 network towers across circles such as Himachal Pradesh and UP West.  It reportedly aims to increase this with an additional 80,000 towers by October this year. Furthermore, the cloud-based 4G core technology which currently powers its network, is also said to potentially support 5G services.