BSNL installs 97,672 4G sites; over 95,500 already on-air, equipment 5G-ready: govt informed that as of 15 January 2026, a total of 97,672 4G sites have been installed by Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), of which 95,511 sites are already on-air, Minister of State for Communications Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday (11 February).
In a written reply to a question on the status of BSNL’s 4G and 5G rollout, the minister stated that the deployed equipment is technologically upgradable to 5G, positioning the state-run telecom operator for a future transition to next-generation services.
The minister said BSNL has placed purchase orders for indigenously developed 4G equipment as part of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, with supply beginning in September 2023.
“In line with Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, BSNL has placed purchase order for indigenously developed one lakh 4G equipment for pan India deployment. Supply of 4G equipment has started from September 2023 and as on 15.01.2026, total 97,672 4G sites have been installed and 95,511 sites are on-air. The equipment is 5G upgradable from technology perspective,” the minister said.
He further informed that BSNL is currently installing one lakh 4G towers and continues to expand its network based on techno-commercial viability.
Providing details on rural connectivity, the minister stated that out of 6,41,525 villages in the country as per the 2011 Census, BSNL is covering 4,35,070 villages with its telecom services.
The minister also noted that the government has approved revival packages for BSNL and MTNL amounting to approximately ₹3.22 lakh crore to make the public sector telecom operators robust, competitive and financially viable.
The packages include capital infusion, debt restructuring, viability gap funding for rural telephony, and expansion of 4G and 5G services.
As a result of these revival measures, BSNL has begun earning operating profits from the financial year 2020-21, the minister added.
