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Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is a state-owned telecommunications company in India, operating a wide range of services across the country, with the exception of Delhi and Mumbai. After facing significant financial challenges for many years, BSNL has recently shown signs of a turnaround, driven by government support and strategic initiatives.

Here's a summary of BSNL's current status and recent developments:

1. Financial Performance & Revival:

Return to Profitability: BSNL has reported net profits for two consecutive quarters (Q3 and Q4 FY2024-25), a significant achievement after nearly two decades of losses. In Q4 FY25, it posted a net profit of ₹280 crore, following ₹262 crore in Q3 FY25.

Reduced Losses: While the company still registered an overall loss of ₹2,247 crore for FY25, this represents a 58% reduction from the ₹5,370 crore loss in FY24.

Increased Revenue and EBITDA: BSNL has seen increased revenue from operations (up 7.8% in FY25 to ₹20,841 crore) and improved EBITDA margins. This is attributed to strategic cost management, operational efficiencies, and the rollout of 4G services.

Government Support: The Indian government has provided substantial revival packages to BSNL, including spectrum allocation (worth ₹44,720 crore), capital expenditure support (₹13,789 crore), and debt restructuring. An additional ₹83,416 crore has been allocated in the Budget 2024-25 for technology upgradation and restructuring.

2. 4G and 5G Rollout:

Indigenous Technology Focus: BSNL is deploying its 4G network using indigenous technology developed in collaboration with a TCS-led consortium, which includes Tejas Networks, C-DOT, and ITI Ltd. This is a key reason for the slower rollout compared to private players, but it aligns with the "Atmanirbhar Bharat" (self-reliant India) vision.

4G Expansion: BSNL has successfully installed nearly 100,000 4G towers and plans to add another 100,000. The government is closely monitoring the 4G deployment with daily targets.

5G Preparations: BSNL has been allocated spectrum in premium 700 MHz and 3.3 GHz bands. Its 4G towers are 5G-ready.

Quantum-5G (Q-5G) Launch: BSNL has soft-launched its 5G services under the brand name "Quantum-5G" (Q-5G), primarily for Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) services for enterprise customers in select cities like Hyderabad. Wide-scale consumer 5G rollout is expected soon, with trials running in various cities like Delhi, Jaipur, Lucknow, Kolkata, and Chennai.

Enterprise 5G Push: BSNL is preparing for a significant push in the enterprise 5G segment, expecting its enterprise business to grow by at least 15% in 2025, driven by IoT, private 5G, and network slicing.

3. Services and Offerings:

BSNL provides a comprehensive range of telecom services, including:

Mobile Telephony (GSM): Under the brand names CellOne and BSNL Mobile, offering prepaid and postpaid services.

Fixed Line Telephone (Landline): Still a major provider, particularly in rural areas.

Broadband and Internet Services: Including dial-up, NetOne (postpaid), DataOne (broadband), and high-speed fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) services under "BSNL Bharat Fiber."

Enterprise Solutions: MPLS, P2P, Internet leased lines, and soon, advanced 5G services for businesses.

Value-added services: Such as IPTV, VoIP, Video On-Demand, remote education, and video conferencing.

BharatNet Integration: The merger with Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL) has significantly expanded BSNL's optical fiber network, enhancing rural broadband penetration.

4. Market Position and Challenges:

Market Share: BSNL has faced challenges in maintaining its market share due to intense competition from private players like Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, and its delayed 4G rollout. Its mobile subscriber market share was around 7.4% as of May 2024.

Government Target: The government has set an ambitious target for BSNL to achieve a 25% market share by the end of 2025.

Subscriber Retention: The company is focusing on improving service quality and network uptime to retain and attract subscribers, especially with the 4G rollout.

In essence, BSNL is in a critical phase of revival and modernization, backed by significant government investment and a focus on indigenous technology. While it still faces stiff competition, the recent return to profitability and the accelerated rollout of 4G and upcoming 5G services indicate a positive trajectory for the public sector telecom major.