BSNL 4G Services to be Rolled Out in the Next 18-24 Months, 5G Services Under Testing: Report 

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is reportedly planning to roll out 4G services in India soon. The 4G services are said to roll out to Indian customers in the next 18 to 24 months. The latest report claims that Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a subsidiary of the Tata Group, has collaborated with BSNL on network planning, technical and commercial aspects. On the 5G services front, BSNL's 5G NSA (non-standalone) core and radios in the probable bands are ready and undergoing testing in the labs, as stated by the report.

According to a recent report by Economic Times, BSNL's 4G services will start rolling out to pan-India subscribers in the next 18-24 months. Apart from the 4G services, the report also revealed that the 5G service from BSNL is also ready and undergoing final testing.

TCS Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Executive Director, N Ganapathy also said, as stated in the report, "We are set to conclude conversations with BSNL on several areas of the deployment and commercial prospects. The business is already planning to deploy the first batch of equipment before the end of the year. There have been several rounds of testing, including integration with their current network and systems. The procedure has gone smoothly."

A previous report suggested that the Minister of State for Communications, Devusinh Chauhan has revealed BSNL's 4G services rollout plan during the Rajya Sabha's Question Hour in March. The minister noted that the government is working towards improving the network service of the telco.

The state-owned telecom operator has been struggling to compete against private players in India for the last few years. Unlike other telecom operators, BSNL does not yet have 4G connectivity on a pan-India basis. However, it was previously said that the service was expected to complete its rollout in 2020.

Meanwhile, India is gearing up for the 5G spectrum auction, with the private telcos all set to place their bids. Recently, Adani group confirmed plans to participate in the July 26 5G spectrum auction. Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea have also made applications to participate in the 5G auction, as reported.