BSNL will launch 4G and 5G universal SIM, this will help users to shift to the network: On Saturday, August 10, the Department of Telecommunications announced that Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) will soon introduce a new 4G-5G ready Universal SIM (USIM) and Over-The-Air (OTA) activation. This innovative SIM card can be activated from any location, giving more convenience to users. BSNL has developed this state-of-the-art SIM in partnership with Pyro Holdings Pvt Ltd.
BSNL is currently facing a huge debt crisis
Public sector telecom company BSNL has been battling a debt crisis for some time now. The Government of India has given three revival packages to the company so far. A package of ₹69,000 crore was approved in 2019, which helped stabilise BSNL and MTNL. Then, a second revival package of ₹1.64 lakh crore was introduced in 2022, focusing on strengthening BSNL’s balance sheet and expanding its fibre network.
BSNL was once the leading mobile operator in the country
Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee launched BSNL’s mobile service on October 19, 2002 from Lucknow. Within just 1-2 years, BSNL became India’s top mobile service provider. Although private operators had launched their services before BSNL, demand for BSNL’s ‘CellOne’ brand surged.
At that time, private operators charged ₹16 per minute for outgoing calls and ₹8 per minute for incoming calls. BSNL revolutionized the market by offering free incoming calls and reducing outgoing call rates to ₹1.50. This golden period from 2002 to 2005 saw a huge demand for BSNL SIM cards, with queues 3-7 km long at service centers.
India currently has over 116 crore mobile subscribers
According to the February 2024 data of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the number of mobile subscribers in India increased by 39,30,625 from January to February 2024. The total number of subscribers increased from 116.07 crores in January to 116.46 crores in February.
The company is far behind Airtel and Jio
Prime Minister Modi has unveiled the roadmap for 6G networks, according to which the service is expected to start in India by 2030. However, BSNL is lagging behind in this area, and is focusing on rolling out 4G and preparing for 5G. Union IT and Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced in January 2023 that BSNL aims to launch its 5G service by April 2024. Meanwhile, Airtel and Jio started offering 5G services in India in October 2022.
This SIM is part of BSNL’s revival plan
Universal 4G and 5G-ready SIMs are a key part of BSNL’s revival strategy, supported by a ₹89,047 crore package approved by the Union Cabinet last year in its third revival plan. The package includes allocation of 4G and 5G spectrum to BSNL through equity infusion and increasing its authorised capital from ₹1,50,000 crore to ₹2,10,000 crore.
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