How BSNL & MTNL Are Taking on Private Telecom Giants with Affordable 4G — and a Practical 5G Playbook.

~Sumon Mukhopadhyay.

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India’s telecom narrative has often been about race, speed, and cutting-edge technology — headlines focused on who has the fastest network, who covers the most cities, who claims the most terabytes of data. But as 2025 draws to a close, the story being written by BSNL and MTNL (Rs.36.09) is different — and in many ways more grounded.

Instead of flashy superiority claims, the state-owned telecom players are using price, coverage, and smart technology transition strategies to build relevance for millions of Indian users who still care most about connectivity they can afford and rely upon. As their revival gathers pace, BSNL and MTNL are quietly turning perceived disadvantages into practical advantages.

Let’s unpack how public sector networks are positioning themselves against private giants like Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel — and why everyday users stand to benefit.

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📡 Amplifying Coverage with 23,000 New 4G Sites:

BSNL recently announced plans to deploy 23,000 additional 4G sites on top of its nearly 97,000 already operational ones. This aggressive network expansion is aimed at raising baseline connectivity quality across India. These towers will serve as the foundational layer on which next-generation technology upgrades will be built.

What’s noteworthy here is the approach:

🔹 Reach first, upgrade later: Rather than chase the latest tech buzzword, BSNL is solidifying 4G presence nationwide

🔹 Incremental 5G readiness: These new sites are designed to be 5G-upgradeable, meaning that once 4G stabilizes, they can be converted to 5G more quickly and cost-effectively

This is not just infrastructure — it’s strategic staging.

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📶 Cheap Plans as a Competitive Tool:

While private operators like Jio and Airtel have rolled out premium 5G plans and value-added services, BSNL and MTNL are doubling down on affordability.

Cheap data packs and voice bundles — backed by expanding 4G coverage — help the state telcos:

🔹 Attract subscribers from price-sensitive segments that still dominate India’s telecom market

🔹 Offer value over velocity where everyday usage patterns (browsing, messaging, video calls) matter most

🔹 Retain users who are more influenced by bill shock avoidance than by peak Mbps numbers

For large parts of India — especially rural, semi-urban, and entry-level smartphone users — this matters more than extreme speed claims.

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BSNL’s 5G: NSA First, SA Later — Real-World Truth:

A key question for accuracy: Is BSNL launching only Standalone 5G?

The evidence says no.

Reliable sources confirm BSNL’s 5G strategy is practical and phased:

🔹 Current focus: Ramp up and stabilise 4G network first — only after hitting quality targets will 5G deployment accelerate

🔹 5G rollout timing: Commercial 5G services are expected as early as late 2025 in cities like Delhi and Mumbai

🔹 Deployment mode: BSNL is preparing to offer 5G initially likely in Non-Standalone (NSA) or hybrid fashion, leveraging existing 4G core infrastructure that can later be evolved to full Standalone (SA)

In other words, BSNL’s 5G rollout is not exclusively SA from day one. It follows a pragmatic NSA → SA transition that prioritises early availability and cost efficiency.

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How This Stacks Up Against Jio and Airtel:

Private players like Jio and Airtel are in a different league when it comes to early 5G adoption:

🔹 Reliance Jio: Nationwide Standalone 5G already deployed with strong mid-band and low-band spectrum holdings

🔹 Bharti Airtel: Currently uses a mix of NSA and evolving hybrid modes, with gradual SA integration

But here’s the nuanced takeaway:

🔹 BSNL’s NSA-leaning strategy helps deliver improved connectivity sooner to users who haven’t yet benefited fully from 5G

🔹 BSNL’s focus on affordability and coverage appeals to the tens of millions still on entry-level plans or waiting for better network reach

🔹 Airtel’s and Jio’s networks, while technologically advanced, are perceived by many users as premium but expensive and coverage-patchy, especially in deeper interiors

For many Indians, having a strong 4G foundation with cheap plans and a visible upgrade path to 5G makes more sense than waiting indefinitely for nationwide SA perfection.

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Public Sector Advantage: Sovereignty & Scale:

There’s another subtle advantage in BSNL/MTNL’s play — Atmanirbhar Bharat synergy:

🔹 BSNL’s 4G network is indigenously developed, aligning with national ambitions of telecom sovereignty

🔹 This resonates with government, enterprise, and institutional customers seeking secure, home-grown technology stacks

With the merger of MTNL into BSNL expected to complete around 2025, the combined entity gains scale, spectrum depth, and operational coherence — essential ingredients for competing with deep-pocketed private telcos.

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Bottom Line for SumanSpeaks Readers:

BSNL and MTNL may not have led the early 5G charge in India — but their strategy is entirely rational:

🔹 Strengthen 4G coverage first

🔹 Use 4G as the foundation for early 5G availability

🔹 Offer competitive pricing to win price-aware segments

🔹 Transition to full Standalone 5G over time, when network scale and economics align

In a market as vast and varied as India’s, connectivity that is affordable, reliable, and broadly available often matters far more to end users than the margin between NSA and SA or the peak Mbps number on a speed chart.

That’s how BSNL and MTNL are not just surviving the telecom race — they are reframing it on their own terms. 📶