Is BSNL Launching 4G VoLTE Services Across India?

BSNL is India’s only state-owned telecommunications, having footprint literally over India, with a massive user base, and workforce.

But it is still a mystery, and secret, as to why they haven’t launched 4G VoLTE services, even almost every private sector player has launched the services, and heavily promoting them to lure customers.

However, things may now change, as some unconfirmed reports are claiming that BSNL may launch 4G VoLTE services very soon, pan-India.

But, take this report with a pinch of salt, as similar ‘reports’ had appeared earlier as well, and still there has been no confirmation.

BSNL: 4G VoLTE To Launch in FY 2017-18

TOI has referenced to a report by a news portal called Ultra News, which has claimed that BSNL will launch 4G VoLTE services in the current fiscal year, 2017-18.

As per the report, BSNL Managing Director, Anumpan Shrivastava has been quoted as saying, “BSNL is launching 4G mobile services shortly and during the financial year 17-18 BSNL will introduce VoLTE.”

In fact, as per the report, Anupam Shrivastava has declared that they will match every current prevailing tariff plans of private players.

Interestingly, they have zero 4G spectrum in Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kolkata. This means that, in case BSNL launches 4G VoLTE services, then these locations would be deprived of it.

Is This News True?

We checked BSNL MD Anupam Shrivastava’s Twitter handle, and found some references to this news, albeit in a veiled manner.

Using hashtag More #TalkToBSNLCMD, when one Twitter used asked him about 4G services, he Tweeted:

#TalkToBSNLCMD 4G will be introduced in coming months. Your suggestion regarding tariff will be considered appropriately. https://t.co/RTouUlmH53

— Anupam Shrivastava (@CMDBSNL) August 30, 2017

In yet another tweet, he said:

#TalkToBSNLCMD We are launching 4G in coming months. https://t.co/pHPgIY8rbp

— Anupam Shrivastava (@CMDBSNL) August 30, 2017

Now, no clear dates have been mentioned, or any timeline given.

In 2016, fuelled with optimism, we had reported that BSNL will soon launch 4G services across 14 circles with BTS installations in existing GPS sites. It has been 16 months since then, and no developments have happened.

In December last year, it was reported that BSNL will launch 4G services in 6 circles, and that they were in talks for forming strategic partnerships with Reliance Jio Infocomm (RJIL) and SSTL. But again, nothing happened.

In January this year, BSNL MD Anupam Shrivastava had said that 4G services would be launched in April, and then again, nothing happened.

He had said, “We are in process of issuing expression of interest for rolling out 4G services on revenue sharing basis and will provide only bandwidth to technology service provider who will manage and operate 4G services,”

We will keep you updated, as we receive more information related to BSNL’s 4G services.