BSNL’s Biggest 4G Push: 50,000 New 4G Sites Across 70,000 Locations; 4G Rollout In 6 Months!

As per the reports, the state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL) is planning to invite bids from multinational gear makers soon.

How Did This Happen?

BSNL soon will invite bids from multinational gear makers including Huawei, Ericsson, Nokia and ZTE to purchase equipment for its fourth-generation (4G) commercial roll-out which is expected in six months.

According to the news, BSNL is planning to spend Rs 1,200 crore on network equipment over a two-year period. 

The BSNL chairman, Pravin Kumar Purwar said “We’ll come out with an open tender and allow all vendors to participate. No vendors will be excluded, and everybody will be free to participate,”. 

What Is The Plan?

According to him, BSNL will spend Rs 1,200 crore on network equipment over a two-year period. 

Recently the company has received a Rs 74,000-crore revival package from the government, is further planning to deploy more than 50,000 new 4G mobile sites at 70,000 locations.

The Indian state-owned company is planning to launch the data network in the first half of 2020.

The telecommunications company is currently ramping up its existing network even as it prepares the contours of the tender offer, as part of a phased approach.

What Does BSNL Has To Say?

When asked about Huawei’s 5G-centric backdoor concerns worldwide, Purwar said   “We have to follow the law of the land. As of date, no telecom equipment manufacturer has been barred, irrespective of the place of origin,”.

Following the US advisory to discourage Huawei, some countries including the United Kingdom have been looking at a multi-vendor approach to alleviate security apprehensions.

Purwar also said the 4G services launch would happen in phases. Already, the telco has 4G services in several circles with Kerala being the major circle.

 BSNL has already closed 3G services in the majority of the cities in Kerala to offer just 2G and 3G services. 

It is going to be interesting to see whether BSNL brings back the 3G network as part of the official 4G network rollout in the circle.

Will BSNL Allow Chinese Vendors To Participate In The Auction?

BSNL had awarded network expansion contract to Finland’s Nokia and China’s ZTE In 2017.

BSNL said that it will allow every vendor to participate in the auction when several countries were banning the usage of telecom equipment from Chinese gear makers like Huawei and ZTE.

Purwar said  “We’ll be coming out with an open tender and allow all vendors to participate. No vendors will be excluded, and everybody will be free to participate,”.

In turn, they had emerged as L1 and L2 bidders respectively, to deploy 40,000 base transceiver stations.

Furthermore, he added that the telco is not looking to ban Chinese vendors from participating in the auction because there’s no such directive from the government. “We have to follow the law of the land. As of date, no telecom equipment manufacturer has been barred irrespective of the place of origin,” Purwar said on asking about Huawei ban in various countries. (Reference)

How BSNL Plans to Deploy New 4G Mobile Sites?

The telco is launching next-generation services on the 2100 MHz band spectrum across its 20 licensed service areas.

The telco company already has some 4G network sites in various circles, but in a few months, the company is planning to deploy more than 50,000 new 4G sites to provide high-speed data services to the users.

 Currently, the company has around 70,000 mobile sites across the country and the next two years, new mobile sites will add to the list. 

Moreover, BSNL will be launching the 4G services on the 2100 Mhz band spectrum in the licensed service areas. 

While the company may launch around 44 services on 800MHz frequency range in Rajasthan but to confirm the frequency range it will use for launching 4G services.