BSNL 5G services to roll out by 2024, telecom minister confirms at a launch event – Times of India

Major Indian telecom players like Airtel and Jio have already started rolling out their 5G services to multiple major cities including — Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and more. State-owned telecom company BSNL is now planning to launch its 5G services. According to a report by PTI, Union telecom minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has confirmed that BSNL will launch its 5G services by April 2024. Recently, the state-run telco shortlisted a TCS and C-DOT-led consortium for rolling out its 4G network. The newly-launched BSNL 4G network is set to be upgraded to 5G within a year after the order has been placed under the contract.
Vaishnaw mentioned that BSNL 5G services will be available from March or April 2024. He even added that the network upgradation work is progressing “very fast.” By 2023, BSNL will start rolling out 4G services rapidly throughout the country and the same will happen with 5G in 2024. Vaishnaw offered this statement during an event to launch the 5G services of Jio and Airtel in Odisha. The 5G services were launched in Odisha by both Vaishnaw and Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

BSNL 5G services in Odisha
Telecom minister Vaishnaw has claimed that the entire state of Odisha will be covered by 5G services within 2 years. He said this while launching 5G services in two major cities of Odisha — Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. Earlier, he made a commitment to roll out 5G services in the state before January 26.
Vaishnaw noted that 5G services were launched in India just three months ago and the country is now seeing “the fastest rollout of 5G networks.” He even added that the Modi government has allocated Rs 5,600 crore to strengthen the telecom connectivity in Odisha.
The minister even added that 100 towers for 4G services covering 100 villages in Odisha have already been launched and the Centre is planning to install 5,500 mobile towers for 4G services across all 7,500 villages in the state by August 15, 2024. These towers will be for 4G services but later on, they will be upgraded to support 5G as well, he added.
Software Technology Parks in Odisha
Vaishnaw also announced that Software Technology Parks will be set up at 8 locations to encourage startups in Odisha. He confirmed that the government is planning to set up these startup centres in Bhubaneswar, Rourkela, Balasore, Sambalpur, Berhampur, Jaipur, Angul and Koraput by December 2023.
Apart from this, Siksha O Anusandhan University also signed an MoU with Reliance Jio for setting up a 5G lab during the launch event. This lab will help in offering hands-on experience with the latest 5G technology and will also enhance employment potential for students in Odisha.