BSNL eyes 4G rollout in 18-24 months: Dhotre

BSNL had invited expressions of interest on January 1 seeking prior registration or proof of concept from Indian telecom equipment manufacturers interested in participating in its upcoming 4G tender, Dhotre said.

State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) expects the roll-out of its 4G wireless service to be completed in 18-24 months, Sanjay Dhotre, minister of state for communications, said on Wednesday. The minister also clarified, in a written reply to the Lok Sabha, that the government has no plan to privatize BSNL.

A woman seen speaking on her mobile phone in front of the logo of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) painted on a wall outside its office in Kolkata in this file photo from 2017. (REUTERS)

BSNL had invited expressions of interest on January 1 seeking prior registration or proof of concept from Indian telecom equipment manufacturers interested in participating in its upcoming 4G tender, Dhotre said.

“BSNL will follow the applicable rules, guidelines or public procurement orders of the government, including rule 144(xi) of the General Financial Rules, 2017, in this regard,” he said.

BSNL’s initiative to allow local equipment companies to bid for its 4G equipment after quality tests of their products will pave the way for domestic players, reducing India’s dependence on global firms. Only companies registered and based in India can bid for BSNL’s 4G core network, the government said in January.

On Wednesday, Dhotre said the Union cabinet approved the revival plan for BSNL and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) in October 2019. This included administrative allotment of spectrum for 4G services through budgetary allocation to BSNL, a voluntary retirement scheme to cut employee cost and asset monetisation.

(PTI contributed to this story)