New Delhi: The central government has approved an additional capital expenditure of Rs 6,982 crore for Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) in 2025 to support the ongoing rollout of its 4G network. Minister of State for Communications Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani informed the Rajya Sabha that this allocation adds to the Rs 3.22 lakh crore support extended to the telecom PSU in phases, including a Rs 69,000 crore revival package in 2019, Rs 1.64 lakh crore in 2022, and the allotment of 4G and 5G spectrum worth Rs 89,000 crore.
BSNL has so far installed 96,300 sites for 4G services, with 91,281 already operational. The network is being deployed by a Tata Consultancy Services-led consortium that includes Tejas Networks and the Centre for Development of Telematics. The government’s objective is to expand BSNL’s coverage to one lakh sites across the country, strengthening its position in a sector dominated by private players.
Financially, BSNL posted net profits of Rs 262 crore and Rs 280 crore in the third and fourth quarters of FY25, respectively, after years of losses. However, the company reported a net loss of Rs 1,049 crore in the first quarter of FY26, though this was lower than the Rs 1,542 crore loss in the corresponding period of the previous year.
According to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, BSNL’s subscriber base grew 4% year-on-year to 98.74 million in FY25, with its market share rising to 8.22%. Despite this growth, it continues to trail significantly behind Jio and Airtel, highlighting the scale of competition in India’s telecom sector.
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