The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has announced a fresh Rs 47,000 crore capital expenditure plan to upgrade Bharat Sanchar Nigam's (BSNL) infrastructure, focusing on expanding 4G and 5G capabilities, modernising switching and transmission systems, strengthening last-mile connectivity, and enhancing service quality nationwide.

The company had already deployed 1,00,000 mobile towers through a consortium led by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) along with C-DoT, Tejas Networks, and ITI. Union telecom minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, in a first-of-its-kind 12-hour review with BSNL’s 32 CGMs, urged the company to boost average revenue per user (ARPU) by improving customer satisfaction.

BSNL has also signed MoUs with Ericsson, Qualcomm, Cisco, and Nokia for training in 5G, AI, ML, networking, and cybersecurity. BSNL has returned to profitability in FY25 after 18 years, aided by government-backed investments and network expansion.