BSNL to switch to 5G by June 2025: Telecom minister Jyotiraditya Scindia

New Delhi: State-run telecom firm BSNL will complete the rollout of indigenously developed 4G technology through 1 lakh base stations by May next year and thereafter switch to 5G network by June 2025, Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Monday.

While speaking at the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, Scindia said that India followed the world in 4G, marched with the world in 5G and will lead the world in 6G technology.

The minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is very clear that the government company is not going to use anyone else’s equipment.

“We now have a core and a radio access network that’s fully functional. We have got a plan of 1 lakh sites by April-May of next year. We’ve rolled out 38,300 sites as of yesterday.

“We are going to roll out our own 4G network, which is going to switch to 5G by June of 2025. We will be the sixth country in the world to be able to do that,” Scindia said.

BSNL is using 4G technology developed by a consortium of state-run C-DOT and domestic IT company TCS.

Scindia said that India has had the fastest 5G rollout in the world with installation of 4.5 lakh towers in 22 months that provided network coverage for 80 per cent of the country’s population.

He said that there has been a complete transformation in the Indian telecom sector with the number of broadband connections rising multifold to 940 million from around 60 million 10 years ago.

“The cost of a voice call was 50 paise 10 years ago, it’s today, three paise. There has been a 96 per cent drop in the cost of voice. If you look at the cost of one GB of data, it was Rs 289 rupees 10 years ago, which is roughly, what three and a half dollars, roughly it’s today, 12 cents. Therefore, you’ve seen exponential penetration, exponential adoption,” the minister said.

He said that the Prime Minister always says, don’t build towers but build quality of service, become a product nation and do not think of telecom as an end product but think of it as a means to supplying service.

Talking about India-US strategic ties, the minister said that India and the US both are moving on multiple footings to make sure that the relationship between the two countries goes beyond the technology curve.

“The Prime Minister’s visit to the US has been a landmark visit. The first time we have come to an agreement where we are going to put a fab (chip plant) in place in India, which will supply chips to defence in the US. It’s going to have huge ramifications for India as well as the US,” Scindia said.

He said that both India and the US are working together on all engines.