BSNL is getting ready to launch its 4G services in India soon and has chosen to debut its LTE network in Chandigarh. The rollout could pre-empt Reliance Jio’s commercial 4G launch in India, which is expected to take place in the near future.
According to PTI, BSNL has published ads in local Chandigarh newspapers promoting its 4G services. The government-run telecom operator promises speeds of up to 100Mbps on mobiles, home-fixed phones and for enterprises. N K Gupta, the brand’s Director of consumer fixed access, has been scheduled to unveil the network at the company’s headquarters in the city.
BSNL currently owns 4G spectrum across the country except in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kolkata, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. The service provider has joined hands with Reliance Jio, which possesses a pan-India 4G license, to provide high-speed services to its users. It had recently announced it would set up 40000 Wi-Fi hotspots in the nation.
Over 500 sites have been installed so far under the project. BSNL’s CMD Anupam Shrivastava says its goal is to install 2500 hotspots by the end of the present financial year. The network company is also planning to invest Rs 5500 crore to set up 25000 mobile towers. He states it had posted profits of Rs 672 crores in FY15 and hopes the figure rises to Rs 1000 crore in the future.
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Other than Reliance Jio, BSNL’s 4G network will have to compete with more dominant telecom brands like Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Idea. The first has already rolled out LTE services in 296 towns across 23 circles, the second had launched it in Kerala last month, and the third’s is currently spreading out to 75 towns in South India.