BSNL Installs 98,557 Indigenous 4G Sites Across India

State-owned telecom operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has installed 98,557 indigenous 4G sites across India as of July 31, 2026, nearing its target of one lakh sites. According to data provided by the Ministry of Communications to the Rajya Sabha, 97,213 of these sites are currently operational. While Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Rajasthan have fully commissioned their planned sites, significant gaps remain in Delhi and Arunachal Pradesh.

The rollout is supported by government revival packages totaling approximately Rs 3.18 lakh crore. Despite the expansion and a revenue increase to Rs 25,049 crore in 2025-26, BSNL's net loss widened to Rs 4,738 crore from Rs 2,247 crore the previous year, and its mobile subscriber base fell to 92.94 million in March 2026.

BSNL is currently focusing on remote connectivity in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. In Odisha, the company installed 1,741 new 4G towers under a Digital Bharat Nidhi-funded project, serving 2,487 villages. In Andhra Pradesh, 1,350 towers now cover nearly 2,500 villages. BSNL is also extending high-speed internet to schools and healthcare facilities in Odisha via the BharatNet project. To mark Independence Day, the company introduced the Freedom Plan, offering SIM cards for Rs 1.