Lok Sabha Question No. 2974 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-11
Subject: Network Quality of BSNL
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Pradeep Kumar Chaudhary

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2974 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11 TH  MARCH, 2020

## NETWORK QUALITY OF BSNL

## †2974. SHRI PRADEEP KUMAR CHAUDHARY:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  network  quality  of  Bharat  Sanchar  Nigam  Limited  (BSNL)  is  in  poor condition in Uttar Pradesh;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the corrective steps taken by the Government in this regard;
- (d) whether  BSNL is  lagging  behind  in  telecommunications  market  competition  and  there has been a drastic decrease in the number of its customers during the last three years; and
- (e) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  reasons  therefor  along  with  the  steps  taken  by  the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS, HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI SANJAY DHOTRE)

(a) to (c) Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has reported that network quality of its Mobile Service is  satisfactory  in  Uttar  Pradesh  and  in  general  meeting  the  Quality  of  Service (QoS)  parameters  prescribed  by  Telecom  Regulatory  Authority  of  India  (TRAI).  BSNL  is continuously  in  the  process  to  improve  their  services  on  PAN  India  basis  and  augmenting  its GSM Cellular Mobile Network progressively, by carrying out the expansion of mobile network in different phases so as to enhance coverage/capacity and to further improve Quality of Service (QoS).  For  further  improvement  of  network  quality  of  Cellular  Mobile  Service,  BSNL  is continuously  monitoring  Cellular  Mobile  Network  and  regularly  conducts  drive  tests/intercircular  network  audit/surprise  checks  and  optimizing  its  network  for  its  performance  in  its service areas.

(d) & (e) Number of customers of BSNL for the last three years are as under:

| S.   | PSU   | Number of customers (in crore) as on   | Number of customers (in crore) as on   | Number of customers (in crore) as on   |
|------|-------|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
| No.  |       | 31.03.2017                             | 31.03.2018                             | 31.03.2019                             |
| 1    | BSNL  | 11.51                                  | 12.41                                  | 12.69                                  |

Despite stiff competition and absence of 4G services (except at a few places), BSNL has managed to increase its customers.  BSNL has also informed that its mobile number portability (MNP) during 2019-20 (till January 2020) is positive and port-out to port-in rate is 0.80.

The  Government  has  approved  the  revival  plan  for  BSNL  on  23.10.2019.  The  revival plan inter-alia, includes  the measures to reduce the Staff cost through a Voluntary Retirement Scheme  (VRS)  for  the  employees  of  age  50  years  and  above,  administrative  allotment  of spectrum for providing 4G services, monetisation of assets for repayment of debt and generating resources  for  CAPEX/OPEX  and  debt  restructuring  by  raising  of  sovereign  guarantee  bonds. With the implementation of the revival plan, BSNL will offer improved and competitive services to its subscribers and increase its customers.

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