State-owned telecom operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is planning to expand its mobile network by adding another 50,000 to 60,000 4G towers across India. The expansion is likely to improve network coverage and connectivity as well as give better high speed internet access to customers in different parts of the country.
BSNL is trying to compete with private telecom operators Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea in India’s rapidly growing telecommunications market. Additional infrastructure will increase overall reliability of BSNL’s services where customers continue to face network connectivity challenges.
A report published on October 28, 2026 by TelecomTalk said that the company is planning additional rollout after installing close to one lakh 4G sites across the country.
The move is part of BSNL’s modernisation plan for its telecommunications infrastructure and to strengthen its position in the Indian telecom space.
The company has been working on indigenous 4G technology deployment under Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative (unlike several private telecom operators who have different international technology providers).
BSNL’s 4G network is built on an indigenous stack developed for nationwide deployment. It is also important because the technology is designed to support upgrade to 5G services in future.
Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia had earlier said that BSNL would add another 50,000 to 60,000 mobile towers to make its network stronger.
Speaking at the Times Now Summit in March 2026, he said one lakh towers have been deployed so far and about 98,000 sites were “largely completed” then. He also said if network infrastructure becomes strong enough then they can move towards 5G.
BSNL's 4G Network Expansion
The 50,000–60,000 mobile sites addition is on top of BSNL’s nationwide 4G deployment programme which was already in progress. The company had initially ordered one lakh indigenously developed 4G sites to boost connectivity across the country.
In February 2026 the Ministry of Communications shared that as of January 15, 2026 BSNL had installed 97,672 4G sites out of which 95,511 were operational. These are some of the figures for network modernisation by BSNL.
The next phase is likely to be about strengthening the network and adding coverage to more places. More mobile sites can make signal available, increase capacity in the network and reduce connectivity issues where demand is high.
This could be particularly important for customers living in rural areas, smaller towns and locations where reliable mobile connectivity isn’t available yet.
Will BSNL Users Get Better Internet Speeds?
One of the biggest hopes surrounding expansion is that BSNL customers will get better internet connectivity. More 4G towers would help with network availability and overall customer experience. More sites also help distribute data traffic more efficiently (e.g., where many people use mobile internet at once).
But actual internet speeds will vary depending on spectrum availability, backhaul connectivity, network configuration, geography and number of active users in a given location so the additional towers shouldn’t be taken as a guarantee that everywhere will get faster.
The rollout is intended to build the network but improvements will depend on how well the new infrastructure gets deployed and integrated.
BSNL's Growing Subscriber Base
BSNL’s network expansion comes at a time when the state-owned telecom company has been improving its subscriber numbers. Ministry of Communications data showed BSNL’s customer base went up from 8.86 crore in March 2024 to 9.28 crore in December 2025.
This is because customers have shown renewed interest in the company’s services as it improves quality of its network and expands availability of 4G.
The company is also working on improving its financial performance. In March 2026 Jyotiraditya Scindia spoke of BSNL’s operating profit growth and said the company had made a quarterly profit of ₹262 crore after an 18-year gap.
The government has been supporting BSNL with revival packages, capital investment and infrastructure modernisation initiatives.
Is BSNL Preparing for 5G?
Another aspect of the expansion is BSNL’s future 5G strategy. The company’s indigenous 4G technology has been designed to be upgradeable to 5G once the infrastructure and network preparations are completed.
BSNL’s immediate concern is then to beef up its 4G network and quality of service — more mobile sites could give it a stronger platform to introduce next-gen connectivity. The government has also been looking at broader network investments (more 4G sites, deployment of 5G in high traffic areas and strategically important places).
What Should BSNL Customers Expect?
For BSNL existing customers, the expansion could mean better signal coverage, network availability and more reliable mobile internet services. Customers in areas where 4G connectivity is limited may benefit as the company expands its infrastructure.
It could also make BSNL more competitive against private telecom companies as consumers demand cheaper mobile plans with reliable internet services.
However, the company has not yet confirmed nationwide installation schedule for all of the additional 50,000–60,000 sites that are proposed in the report. Customers will have to wait for further announcements on deployment locations and timelines.
In the long run BSNL’s planned expansion of its network is an important step in building up India’s public sector telecom infrastructure. If done well the extra 4G sites could help millions more people get connected and prepare the company for future 5G ambitions.
Comments