Everyone who has followed the telecom industry closely for a few years now wants BSNL to come out with its wide-scale 4G operations. This is because it will change the competition scenario in the market. Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has said that it doesn’t want foreign companies manufacturing the 4G equipment and network for BSNL. The last 4G tender of BSNL got cancelled because of the border tensions between India and China. Now DoT is recommending that BSNL’s 4G network should be built by local companies, according to an ET Telecom report. This would support the government’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’. More on the story ahead.
BSNL 4G Network Can be Built Locally
This raises questions such as, will manufacturing 4G locally be more expensive or will it work the same efficient way it does with the equipment supplied by foreign companies? DoT has recommended that 20% of the equipment for the radio access networks (RANs) should be provided by the government. More recommendations were made by DoT for the companies which will be seeking to bid for the BSNL 4G projects. The first recommendation was that the companies will have to provide the government with a proof of concept that they can do it. Proof of concept can be provided by showing the execution of the plans submitted for 4 months if the company doesn’t have any prior experience. The second recommendation was source code audits. DoT said that the code can be put in an escrow account and be compiled with non-proprietary compilers. The last recommendation by DoT was to put a stop on all the investments that are being made for 2G. BSNL shouldn’t invest in an outdated technology anymore so that the resources and money can be used for growing the company in the right direction, which is towards 4G and 5G. Talking about 5G, if BSNL and government can pull off this project of making 4G network locally in India with the help of Indian companies, then it will open paths for developing 5G infrastructure locally as well for the telco. Not only will it open paths for the future for BSNL, but it will change the whole existing market competition.
