BSNL will gradually increase network deployment to 6,000 and then to 9,000, 12,000 and 15,000 sites per month.
| Photo Credit: REUTERS

State-owned telecom firm BSNL is planning to launch 4G service in December at a small scale and then roll it out across the country by June next year, Chairman and Managing Director P.K. Purwar said on Saturday.

Speaking to PTI at the India Mobile Congress, Mr. Purwar said that the company plans to upgrade 4G service to 5G after June.

“BSNL 4G service is ready for launch in Punjab in December. We have already done the hardening required for a network with 200 sites. We are in the process of installing 3,000 sites in Punjab,” Mr. Purwar said.

He said that BSNL will gradually increase network deployment to 6,000 and then to 9,000, 12,000 and 15,000 sites per month.

“Our target is to complete 4G roll-out by June 2024. Post June 2024, we will be moving to 5G services,” Mr. Purwar said.

IT company TCS and government-owned ITI have bagged orders worth about ₹19,000 crore from BSNL for deploying 4G network which is upgradable to 5G.

Mr. Purwar said that the BSNL has enough spectrum to deploy 5G services, once 4G roll-out is completed.