BSNL To Start 5G Services In 2024, Says Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw

BSNL has shortlisted a TCS and C-DOT led consortium for rolling out 4G network, which will be upgraded to 5G in about a year of placing the order under the contract

Union Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday said that BSNL will launch its 5G services in 2024. Vaishnaw said, "BSNL will start 5G services in 2024," as quoted by news agency PTI. Telecom Minister was speaking on the sidelines of an event to launch 5G services of Jio and Airtel in Odisha. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan was also present at the event. 

"Entire Odisha will be covered by 5G services in 2 years. Today, 5G services have been launched in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack," the telecom minister said. Vaishnaw said the Modi government has allocated Rs 5,600 crore for strengthening the telecom connectivity in the state, a PTI report said. 

He said, “100 towers for 4G services covering 100 villages in Odisha have been launched today.”

BSNL has shortlisted a TCS and C-DOT led consortium for rolling out 4G network, which will be upgraded to 5G in about a year of placing the order under the contract.

Union Telecom and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had previously said that state-run BSNL's 4G technology will be upgraded to 5G in the next 5-7 months. Vaishnaw, while speaking at a CII event, said the government has plans to increase the telecom technology development fund from Rs 500 crore per annum to Rs 4,000 crore to encourage the indigenous innovation.

As of now only Airtel and Jio are only 5G service providers in India. Reliance Jio, In a release,  said that Jio 5G network will expand rapidly across the state, covering the cities of Rourkela, Berhampur, Puri, Sambalpur, and Balasore by February 2023, and subsequently reach all tehsils and talukas by December 2023, reported LiveMint