Lok Sabha Question No. 899 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-04
Subject: Status of BSNL’s 4G/5G Rollout and Network Coverage across Technologies
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Shri Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 899 TO BE ANSWERED ON 4 TH  FEBRUARY, 2026

## STATUS OF BSNL'S 4G/5G ROLLOUT AND NETWORK COVERAGE ACROSS TECHNOLOGIES

## 899. SHRI GURMEET SINGH MEET HAYER:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

(a) the present status of the 5G rollout by Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and the reasons for the delay compared to other telecom service providers;

(b) the revised timelines for nationwide rollout of 4G and 5G services by BSNL and the extent of coverage achieved so far;

(c) the percentage of BSNL's overall network coverage under 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G across the country, including circle-wise details;

(d) whether  the  Government  has  assessed  the  impact  of  delayed  network  modernisation  on BSNL's subscriber base, revenues and market share and if so, the details thereof; and

(e) the details of the policy, financial and operational support measures being provided to enable BSNL to remain a viable and competitive public sector telecom operator?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT (DR. PEMMASANI CHANDRA SEKHAR)

(a) In line with Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, BSNL has placed purchase order for indigenously developed one lakh 4G sites for pan India deployment. Supply of 4G equipment has started from September 2023 and as on 15.01.2026, total 97,672 4G sites have been installed and 95,511 sites are ON-Air. The equipment is 5G upgradable from technology perspective.

(b) Currently, BSNL is installing 1 lakh 4G towers and on further expansion, BSNL continues to increase its number of towers as per techno-commercial viability.

(c) Out of total 6,41,525 villages (as per census 2011), BSNL is covering 4,35,070 villages across the country. The Circle-wise details of BSNL's coverage are attached at Annexure-I.

(d) & (e) With a view to strengthen BSNL/MTNL and to make them robust, competitive and viable, Government has approved revival packages to BSNL as mentioned below:

-  In 2019, first revival package amounting to around ₹ 69,000 Crores was given that brought down the operating costs of BSNL .
-  In 2022, revival package amounting to around ₹ 1,64,000 Crores was given .It focused on infusing fresh capital, restructuring debt, viability gap funding for rural telephony etc .
-  In  2023,  Government approved the allotment of 4G/5G spectrum to BSNL with the total outlay of around ₹ 89,000 Crores.
-  In 2025, an additional amount of ₹ 6,982 Crores has been approved as additional CAPEX support for rollout of 4G network by BSNL across the country.

As a result of the revival packages given to BSNL, BSNL has started earning operating profits from F.Y. 2020-21.

## Annexure-I

Annexure-I of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 899 for 04.02.2026

Village Covered of BSNL as on 31.12.2025

| Sl. No.     | Circle               | Total villages (census 2011)   | No. of Villages covered with BSNL's cellular services   |
|-------------|----------------------|--------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|
| 1           | Uttar Pradesh (East) | 80,029                         | 73,652                                                  |
| 2           | Madhya Pradesh       | 54,903                         | 24,394                                                  |
| 3           | Odisha               | 51,313                         | 26,018                                                  |
| 4           | Bihar                | 44,874                         | 29,064                                                  |
| 5           | Rajasthan            | 44,672                         | 26,111                                                  |
| 6           | Maharashtra          | 43,999                         | 28,705                                                  |
| 7           | West Bengal          | 40,218                         | 33,767                                                  |
| 8           | Jharkhand            | 32,394                         | 19,673                                                  |
| 9           | Karnataka            | 29,340                         | 17,894                                                  |
| 10          | Uttar Pradesh (West) | 26,745                         | 14,740                                                  |
| 11          | Assam                | 26,395                         | 20,772                                                  |
| 12          | Himachal Pradesh     | 20,690                         | 17,009                                                  |
| 13          | Chhattisgarh         | 20,125                         | 14,186                                                  |
| 14          | Gujarat              | 18,309                         | 10234                                                   |
| 15          | Andhra Pradesh       | 17,366                         | 12848                                                   |
| 16          | Uttarakhand          | 16,793                         | 13207                                                   |
| 17          | Tamilnadu            | 14,433                         | 12,162                                                  |
| 18          | Punjab               | 12,592                         | 12,087                                                  |
| 19          | Telangana            | 10,434                         | 9,104                                                   |
| 20          | North East II        | 9,532                          | 4,435                                                   |
| 21          | North East I         | 8,544                          | 2,089                                                   |
| 22          | Haryana              | 6,841                          | 4,332                                                   |
| 23          | Jammu &Kashmir       | 6,553                          | 4,489                                                   |
| 24          | Chennai (TD)         | 1,636                          | 1,635                                                   |
| 25          | Kerala               | 1,039                          | 1,036                                                   |
| 26          | Kolkata (TD)         | 750                            | 727                                                     |
| 27          | Andaman &Nicobar     | 555                            | 372                                                     |
| 28          | Sikkim               | 451                            | 328                                                     |
| Grand total | Grand total          | 6,41,525                       | 4,35,070                                                |

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