BSNL to Launch 4G with Indigenous Gears, Jio too Switching to Desi

Despite multiple delays to launch 4G services, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) - the state owned telecommunications service provider is seemed to be on the track to roll out the much awaited 4G-LTE services across the circles very soon.

As per the deal signed in August 2023, Tejas Networks-led consortium would be delivering 4G sites to BSNL worth Rs 7492 crore. Initially there was extensive trials run across the circles. On May 5, 2025 Tata backed telecom gear firm Tejas Networks announced that the company shipped more than 100,000 sites for BSNL's 4G/5G-ready network. This is one of the largest single-vendor RAN networks in the world ever delivered in record time. 

Indian Telcos to Dilute Digital Divide between Rural and Urban Areas

Though sky is the limit, the urban wireless teledensity reached 124.31% and multi-SIM users are declining, the Indian telecom service providers are now looking for rural expansion as rural wireless teledensity was just 57.89% (Data at the end of December 2024).

Rural connectivity is now concentrated on access to OTT media, use of social media, content creation over different sites/apps, UPI payments. But data usage is still limited, and in coming days the usage may go sky-rocketed with carpet-coverage. In short as you offer, people will grab it more. 

For Jio, it has an advantage that it started with 4G and therefore Jio's 4G presence is quite better than the competitors, as both Airtel and Vi had ditched their 3G operations, and looking for 2G sunset which can't be done before 2027 and brought 4G and 5G in selected pockets where revenue generation is high. 

Dynamic Bandwidth Allocation by Jio Can Improve Smartphone Battery Life upto 40%

Earlier in a post, I shared the fact that IEEE reported that 5G-NR is more energy efficient than LTE, and 5G-NSA might use higher levels of energy to power 5G networks with 4G infrastructure, as two different forms of cellular technology massively increases power consumption in a network. Now Jio Platforms, the largest telecom operator in India, during its Q2 FY25 earnings call, has claimed that their Standalone 5G network can reduce power consumption on end-devices and this may help the smartphones' battery performance by 20-40%. 

5G - How to Monetize?

Image created by Aria - AI by Opera

Every time, since the beginning of wireless communications and faster internet India stood as a back bencher compared to global standards - either India joined late or could not deliver what was promised. For eg, 3G/HSPA/HSPA+ was first launched in 2001 in Japan by Docomo and Airtel came with 3G in 2011, which took nearly 1.5 year to go mainstream. And it was never affordable at all.

Cut to 2016, country's richest man Mukesh Ambani backed Reliance Industries unleashed Jio to Indians with 4G-LTE. Wireless data became affordable, cluttered out non-serious players from the market and incumbents responded to Jio's move. 

Jio True 5G: Trial Review at Barrackpore

Though India's first spectrum auction for 5G airwaves was conducted in July this year, the telecom service providers - Jio and Airtel did make a hurry to launch 5G, unlike 3G or 4G. 5th generation of telecom services went mainstream in India on October 1st, 2022. That's just 2 months to get 5G live. Well that's fast, and thanks to DoT, all operators got trial spectrum to conduct 5G trials and tests on their 2G/3G/4G networks. Debt ridden telco Vi is yet to announce its 5G debut. 

5G Auction of India: Adani Aiming New Vertex with Private 5G Solutions

26th July, 2022 can be a big day for Indian telecom. Well great golden days of Indian telecom is long gone. Presently only three private telcos and one govt. backed telco (BSNL & MTNL merger is unofficially done) are existing. But with the introduction of 5G, the telecom boom may reappear in the industry despite more debts will put on the carriers. 

The auction for 5G spectrum will start in few hours. Despite government brings huge platter of 72000 MHz of airwaves across 9 bands (600 MHz, 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz, 3.3 GHz, and 26 GHz), there are only four bidders - Jio, Airtel, Vi and Adani Data Networks. 

RDB's Blog Special: 4G/LTE vs 5G-NR

While we are waiting for 5G, and hopefully there will not much delay compared to global roll out, let's discuss the differences between present 4G-LTE technology and upcoming 5G-New Radio (NR) technology. 

At present all three private mobile carrier - Jio, Airtel and Vi are offering 4G-LTE with a mix of LTE-TDD and LTE-FDD. State owned BSNL is yet to launch 4G. 

We can expect 5G spectrum auction during mid-2022 and launch may come faster - as early as in another 3-4 months. 

Google Invests in Jio Platforms to Make Affordable 4G & 5G Phones

For Google, India is a great market for the company. Since 2015, when India born Sunchar Pichai became the CEO of Alphabet Inc, the holding company of  Google product family the company introduced several products/projects for India. Most important was Google backed WiFi hotspots in rail stations of the country under Google Station branding. Recently Google left the project as 4G based internet goes mainstream.

However Google has did its biggest move in India as the company is going to invest Rs 33,737 crore in Mukesh Ambani owned Reliance Industries' telecom and digital arm Jio Platforms announced during latest AGM meet of RIL. The investment translates into 7.7% stake sale of Jio Platforms to Google. The strategic investment by Google would be directed to making affordable, entry level 4G (and in future 5G) Android smartphones to support device ecosystem for Jio's indigenous 5G technology. 

The Google-Jio handsake is win-win for all - both companies, consumers and Indian government. It can usher 'Make in India' initiative of Govt of India. Reliance can create stronger ecosystem for its own digital platform and as 5G goes mainstream with cheap devices entry barrier will be demolished, Google backed Android ecosystem will be stronger. 

Intel and Qualcomm Infuse Strategic Investments in Jio

In the midst of pandemic, lockdown, and financial teardown, India's richest man, Mukesh Ambani owned Jio Platforms, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries becomes top tech company to invest. After the announcement of Facebook's investment in Jio in end of April '20, six American PE investors (SilverLake, Vista, General Atlantic, KKR, TPG and L Catterton), and three companies of Saudi Arabia and UAE would invest in Jio Platforms til middle of June '20.

Around a week back, on June 24th, Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved Facebook’s proposed investment in Jio Platforms via its newly formed subsidiary Jaadhu Holdings LLC.

Reliance Jio Goes Debt-free, Plans to Bring Made-in-India 5G Solutions

Jio's stake sale is over, as the view expressed by investment firm JP Morgan. Starting from April 21st, Jio Platforms Ltd (JPL), the telecom and digital arm of Reliance Industries, owned by richest Indian Mukesh Ambani has started its stake sale. Ambani has set a target to make Reliance net debt free by March 31, 2021, and he achieved that target much before - 3 quarter early. Therefore it is expected that Jio, who already sold nearly one fourth of the company to foreign investors, will not go further. 

A tweet from Reliance Jio also hints to that, as the table summerizes all fund received into Jio. (table below)

Just like NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) made rockets, India's JPL or simply Jio has shown its growth like a rocket. It began from a scratch and developed as a greenfield pure 4G operator, backed by several app based ecosystem. 

Jio in a Fundraising Mode, Gets investment 4th & 5th ones from GA & KKR

Mukesh Ambani is unstoppable to bring one after another investment for his dream project, Jio to 'further propel Jio's vision of enabling a digital society for India'. In a month Jio Platforms fetched a hopping total of 78,562 crore rupees of investment from different American companies including social giant Facebook. 

Investment from Facebook, SilverLake and Vista Equity has already been published on my earlier post. Recent investments in Jio would be coming from General Atlantic Partners and KKR ＆ Co. Both companies are headquartered in New York.

General Atlantic is one of the early investor in Uber and Airbnb. Definitely they are looking towards change in India's digital ecosystem.