BSNL to launch 4G services in Patna by year-end

Currently, only 16 small towns, including Bhojpur, Darbhanga, Bihar Sharif, Katihar and Jehanabad, are partly covered under the 4G network.

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is likely to launch 4G mobile service by the end of this year in Patna, its principal general manager (PGM) for Patna telecom district, Arbind Prasad, said on Monday.

Currently, BSNL has mobile subscribers’ base of around 57.75 lakh in Bihar (Jharkhand) licensing service area against 4 crore of Bharati Airtel, 3.67 crore of Reliance Jio and 83.93 lakh of Voda Idea. (REUTERS)

Prasad, a 1993-batch Indian Telecom Service (ITS) officer, has recently taken over as the new PGM of Patna.

Talking about the BSNL’s plan to strengthen mobile services in the city, Prasad said the advance purchase order for state-of-the-art 4G mobile equipment has been placed with the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). “We hope to get the equipment for installation by September-October this year,” he said, adding that the new 4G hardware are upgradable to 5G after modification in the software.

Currently, only 16 small towns, including Bhojpur, Darbhanga, Bihar Sharif, Katihar and Jehanabad, are partly covered under the 4G network.

All the districts would be brought under the high-speed 4G network by the end of this year or in the first quarter of next year, depending up on availability of the equipment. “We have planned installing as many as 3,620 4G towers across the state, of which about 900 towers will be installed in Patna only,” said a senior officer, dealing in mobile operation.

Prasad said as many as 211 new towers would be erected in different locations of the capital city to provide high-speed internet data to the BSNL users. “Locations of these sites are being finalised. 4G equipment will be installed on about 600 towers, currently operating 3G services,” said the PMG.

Currently, BSNL has mobile subscribers’ base of around 57.75 lakh in Bihar (Jharkhand) licensing service area against 4 crore of Bharati Airtel, 3.67 crore of Reliance Jio and 83.93 lakh of Voda Idea.

Union telecom minister Ashwini Vaishnav had, in December last year, announced that the BSNL would launch 5G services in 2023. However, officials said it was unlikely to match the announcement due to procedural delays in procurement of the 4G equipment.