BSNL hopes to get 700 MHz Band Spectrum to Take on Rivals

[Nandan Jha]

The state-run telecom company Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited hopes to get 700MHz band spectrum from the Indian government to cater high-speed 4G services to its subscribers. When the telecom industry is dominated by high-speed fourth generation, BSNL is still sticking on 3G due to its financial implications.

BSNL 4G on 700 MHz Band:

The BSNL has already made its appeal to the Department of Telecom to allocate the 5MHz block in 700MHz band spectrum on a revenue-sharing agreement. As per the infrastructure deployment, 700MHz band spectrum is the ideal spend to provide greater network coverage thereby having PAN-India 2G, 3G and 4G services with low capital spending.

Also Read: CMD Anupam Shrivastava Confirms BSNL 4G Rollout in 2017-18

Currently, the BSNL is providing 3G services through the 2100MHz band and is aiming to provide 4G technology through the classical LTE mode PAN-India including the rural areas. In a statement to Economic Times, BSNL Chairman & MD, Mr Anupam Shrivastava said: “We are hoping to get the 700 MHz band spectrum from the government through equity route. Whatever returns we get will be pumped back to the government.”

Need of the Hour:

Mr Shrivastava added that the BSNL is looking to launch 4G services by April 2017 through the traditional spectrum course with the premium waves in the 700MHz band. The company will not find it difficult for tuning into the 700MHz band from the available 800MHz with its current equipment makers.

With reference to the ecosystem, Mr Shrivastava said that more than 40% of the devices manufactured worldwide will support 700MHz band. And when its 4G services are closer to launch, the ecosystem will get developed automatically to serve the needs of the customers.

With the entry of Reliance Jio, the private telecom companies including Bharti Airtel, Vodafone India, and Idea Cellular are investing heavily in the sector. This is again a big blow to the state-run BSNL. Hope the Government would listen to BSN’s woes and grant it 700MHz band spectrum to bail out.

Also Read: BSNL Partners with Tata Communication to Deploy 44 Million WiFi Hotspots Globally