DoT’s Sanchar Saathi App, National Broadband Mission 2.0 and Rural Roaming to Revolutionize Telecom Infra

New Delhi: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has announced three transformative initiatives to strengthen India’s telecom infrastructure and enhance citizen-centric services. The launch of the Sanchar Saathi Mobile App, the rollout of the ambitious National Broadband Mission 2.0 (2025-30), and the introduction of Intra-Circle Roaming (ICR) at DBN-funded 4G mobile sites mark significant milestones in the country’s digital journey.

Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia emphasized the importance of these initiatives, stating, “This event unveils three very critical aspects of our telecom universe– ensuring that our network becomes all-pervasive across the length and breadth of our country, as well as our wide expanse through our National Broadband Mission 2.0.”

Sanchar Saathi Mobile App: Citizen-Centric Services at Fingertips

Building on the success of the Sanchar Saathi portal, DoT has unveiled the Sanchar Saathi Mobile App to make telecom-related citizen services easily accessible. The app is available for Android and iOS devices, ensuring coverage for approximately 90 crore mobile subscribers in India.

The Sanchar Saathi portal, launched on May 16, 2023, by the then Minister of Communications, Ashwini Vaishnaw has already proven its effectiveness in empowering telecom users. With over 9 crore visitors and an average daily traffic of 3 lakh users, the portal has enabled citizens to track mobile connections, block lost handsets, verify handset authenticity, and report fraudulent communications.

Highlighting the significance of secure connectivity, Scindia stated, “Through the Sanchar Saathi, we are providing a safe and secure environment where the privacy and the security of each individual customer are safeguarded. Suffice it to say that these are the three very pillars that form the basis of a strong foundation for our telecom sector.”

Key achievements of the portal include:

Since its launch, DoT through its Al-based tools, inputs of stakeholders and reporting of citizens,

• Disconnected 2.75 crore mobile connections.
• Blocked 3.13 lakh mobile handsets for involvement in cyber-crime and financial frauds.
• Blacklisted 71,000 SIM sellers, 186 bulk SMS senders, 2993 SMS headers, 1.31 lakh SMS templates.
• Disengaged 12.38 lakh WhatsApp accounts
• Acted on 11 Lakh bank accounts linked with such mobile numbers.
• Over 25 lakh lost or stolen mobile handsets have been blocked and more than 15 lakh traced.

National Broadband Mission 2.0 (2025-30): Bridging the Digital Divide

Acknowledging the critical role of broadband in modern life, the DoT has launched the National Broadband Mission 2.0 (NBM 2.0) to provide high-speed internet and meaningful connectivity to all citizens by 2030. This initiative builds on the achievements of NBM 1.0 and is aligned with the Prime Minister’s vision of a “Viksit Bharat” by 2047.

Scindia highlighted the achievements of the earlier phase, saying that the foundation of National Broadband Mission 1.0 has been laid by connecting almost all gram panchayats with optical fibre cable (OFC). From close to 10 lakh route kilometres of OFC fibre 10 years ago, today we have 42 lakh route kilometres of OFC fibre.

He added, “Broadband subscriptions have grown from 66 crores to 94 crores. That today becomes the fulcrum, the foundation on which NBM 2.0 has been launched…the goals of NBM 2.0 are to connect all villages, ensuring we have at least 60 out of 100 rural connections, and ensuring our broadband download speed is at least 100 Mbps.”

Key objectives of NBM 2.0 include:

• Extending operational optical OFC connectivity to 2.7 lakh villages by 2030, compared to the current ~50,000.
• Providing broadband connectivity to 90% of anchor institutions, including schools, healthcare centres, and panchayats, by 2030.
• Improving fixed broadband download speeds to a minimum of 100 Mbps from the current 63.55 Mbps national average.
• Achieving 100% mapping of government-owned fibre networks by 2026 through the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan.
• Reducing Right of Way (RoW) application disposal time to 30 days by 2030, a significant improvement from the 449 days in 2019.
• Increasing rural internet subscribers from 45 per 100 population to 60 by 2030.
• Ensuring 30% of mobile towers operate on sustainable energy sources by 2030.

The mission also prioritizes protecting underground telecom infrastructure through the ‘Call Before u Dig’ (CBuD) app and preparing for future networks, including 5G and 6G, through robust street furniture infrastructure. Additionally, it emphasizes leveraging power sector assets like Optical Ground Wire (OPGW) to enhance network reliability in remote areas.

Intra-Circle Roaming at DBN-Funded 4G Mobile Sites: Boosting Rural Connectivity

To improve telecom access in rural and remote areas, the DoT has introduced Intra-Circle Roaming (ICR) at mobile sites funded by the Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), formerly known as the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF). DBN-funded towers, aimed at bridging the connectivity gap in underserved regions, now allow subscribers of different telecom service providers (TSPs) to access 4G services from a single tower.

Currently, BSNL has entered into roaming agreements with Airtel and Reliance Jio, enabling seamless connectivity for subscribers across 27,000 DBN-funded towers covering over 35,400 villages nationwide. This initiative benefits 2,038 towers of Airtel, 20,513 of BSNL, and 4,788 of Reliance Jio.

By enabling shared infrastructure, the ICR arrangement reduces capital expenditure while enhancing network coverage. This development ensures that citizens in rural areas gain access to essential services such as e-governance, education, healthcare, and financial inclusion.

Scindia highlighted the collaborative effort behind this initiative, saying, “Three of our players—BSNL, Airtel, and Reliance—have tied up to leapfrog using each other’s infrastructure… we will not only provide connectivity but choice to every single customer.”

Spoofed Call Prevention System: A Cybersecurity Milestone

On October 22, 2024, the DoT launched the International Incoming Spoofed Calls Prevention System to combat cybercrimes involving spoofed calls from abroad. Within 24 hours, the system identified and blocked 1.35 crore spoofed calls, accounting for 90% of tampered international calls. By December 2024, spoofed calls had reduced to 6 lakh, reflecting the system’s efficacy in addressing this menace.

Spoofed calls have been linked to various cybercrimes, including fraudulent impersonation of government officials, digital arrests, and scams involving narcotics or financial fraud. The system significantly bolsters cybersecurity by preventing such activities.

The recent launches by the DoT demonstrate the government’s commitment to creating a robust and inclusive telecom ecosystem. From citizen-centric services through the Sanchar Saathi Mobile App to ambitious infrastructure expansion under NBM 2.0 and enhanced rural connectivity via DBN-funded sites, these initiatives align with the nation’s vision of a digitally empowered, inclusive society.

By addressing key challenges like cyber fraud, connectivity gaps, and infrastructure inefficiencies, the DoT continues to drive India’s digital transformation and global competitiveness.

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