Will PM Modi Launch BSNL’s 'Swadeshi' 4G Network on September 27?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- India launches its first indigenous 4G network.
- BSNL to connect approximately 30,000 villages.
- Network to be cloud-based and easily upgradable to 5G.
- India joins elite countries in telecom equipment production.
- Launch scheduled for September 27 from Jharsuguda.
New Delhi, Sep 26 (NationPress) On September 27, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to launch the state-owned telecom operator BSNL’s completely homegrown 4G network, as announced by Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Friday.
This achievement marks a significant step for India, allowing it to join the ranks of nations that can create and manufacture their own telecom networks and technology.
During a pre-launch gathering, Scindia remarked, “Tomorrow will showcase India as not just a service provider, but as a comprehensive developer and manufacturer of the 4G stack and equipment.”
He mentioned that India's telecom infrastructure will be cloud-based, ready for the future, and easily upgradable to 5G.
On September 27, BSNL’s 4G infrastructure will be launched at approximately 98,000 sites across the nation, with multiple simultaneous launches in various states.
The Prime Minister will inaugurate the network from Jharsuguda in Odisha.
“This marks a new chapter for the telecom industry,” Scindia stated. “India now stands among the elite nations producing telecom equipment, joining the ranks of Denmark, Sweden, South Korea, and China. India becomes the fifth country in this exclusive group.”
Moreover, the minister disclosed that the Prime Minister will also introduce India’s fully operational 4G network under the Digital India Fund, aiming to connect approximately 29,000 to 30,000 villages through a mission-driven initiative.
Telecom Secretary Neeraj Mittal emphasized that India is the largest telecom market globally, with projections indicating a rise in 5G users from the current 300–400 million to 770 million by 2028.
He attributed the development of this indigenous 4G stack to the policies instigated by Prime Minister Modi.
In a conversation with IANS, BSNL’s UP East Chief General Manager Arun Kumar Garg stated, “The launch of BSNL 4G represents a point of national pride since the underlying technology is entirely homegrown, developed by C-DOT, Tejas Networks, and TCS.