CMD of BSNL, PK Purwar said that these BTS are providing 4G service on trial and commercial basis. “Our 4G trial services have started. We have commissioned 3,500 4G BTSs and we plan to increase the number soon,” he said. Purwar said the company aims to launch its 5G network by the end of this year. Indigenous technology will be used for this. According to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), BSNL’s share in the telecom market was 7.94 percent at the end of December last year.
Recently BSNL had issued a tender worth about Rs 65,000 crore for the third phase of BharatNet project. This is part of a project worth approximately Rs 1.4 lakh crore. In this, internet connectivity will be provided to more than two lakh gram panchayats. Many telecom equipment related companies like Ericsson, HFCL, STL, TCS can bid in this tender. The companies selected for this project will also have to operate the network in Gram Panchayats for 10 years. BSNL has invited bids for 16 states and union territories. These include Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Punjab, Haryana, Kerala, West Bengal and Puducherry. As per the terms of this tender, the company should have a minimum net worth of Rs 50-375 crore depending on the state for which the bid is being given.
In the third quarter of the current financial year, BSNL’s consolidated net loss increased to approximately Rs 1,569 crore on quarter-on-quarter basis. In the previous quarter it was Rs 1,481 crore. However, the company’s loss has declined on year-on-year basis. In the same period of the previous financial year, this loss was Rs 1,868 crore. BSNL’s revenue stood at Rs 4,549 crore in the third quarter, up 11.6 per cent on quarter-on-quarter basis. There has been an increase of about 2.5 percent on year-on-year basis.