BSNL to take 4G to saturation level

In his Independence Day address in 2021, Prime Minister Modi gave a call for saturation of government schemes. Saturation means 100 per cent coverage of beneficiaries. As a follow up to this call, on July 27, 2022, the Union Cabinet approved a project for saturation of 4G mobile services in uncovered villages across the country at a total cost of Rs 30,620 crores. This project cost includes capex and 5 year opex.

This project will provide 4G mobile services in 24,680 uncovered villages in remote and difficult areas. It has provision to include 20 per cent additional villages on account of rehabilitation, new settlements, withdrawal of services by existing operators etc. In addition to this, 6,279 villages having only 2G/3G connectivity shall be upgraded to 4G connectivity. This project will be executed by BSNL using indigenous equipment and USOF (Universal Service Obligation Fund) will fund this project. BSNL is specially chosen to implement this project as among all the Telecom Service Providers, only BSNL is having Athmanirbhar Bharat's 4G technology stack.

The project is a significant step towards the vision of the government to provide mobile connectivity in rural areas. It will promote delivery of various e-government services, banking services, tele-medicine, tele-education etc, through mobile broadband and generate employment in rural areas. The project is to be completed within 500 days from cabinet approval and so the deadline is 31 December, 2023.

Providing mobile connectivity in uncovered villages will help in effective DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) through the JAM trinity of Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile in these villages leading to empowerment of people there. Fast internet speeds in villages can make a big difference for India's economic growth, as India lives in its villages.

The Department of Telecom (DOT) has urged State governments to solve issues and expedite permissions such as allocation of land, speedy clearance of sites in forest areas, right-of-way (ROW) permissions for this project. Apart from resolving permission-related issues for the project, DOT has also asked the State governments to provide access to BSNL to data such as land revenue records, road infrastructure, power transmission and distribution, on priority through the PM Gati Shakti Master Plan Portal.

Allotment of land and extension of commercial power supply

BTS sites of this project will be located centrally in such a way to cover maximum population. Allotment of land by State governments/ union territories for installing Ground Based Towers (GBTs) and for placing the shelters for housing the equipment, power plant, battery sets and diesel set is crucial for this project. This is because high rise buildings for erection of roof top towers and for housing equipment etc. will not be available in the majority of these remote villages.

The Karnataka State cabinet has decided to grant 2000 sqft of land on a 30 year lease at 1200 to 1500 villages to BSNL for this project. BSNL Telangana has received land allotment for about 70 per cent of sites from the State government and they are pursuing for the remaining sites. In AP, district collectors are taking interest and instructing local revenue authorities to allot sites to BSNL. The Kerala state cabinet decided to lease lands to BSNL for this project. Similar progress may be there in other states/ Union Territories.

For expeditious extension of commercial power supply to the sites, cooperation from State governments/ Union Territories is required (wherever extension of commercial power supply is not feasible, solar power plants will be deployed).

Erection of Ground Based towers

For the supply and erection of ground based telecom towers, Infrastructure as a Service Provider (IAASP) for supply, installation of infrastructure items and subsequent operation and maintenance for five years, BSNL is awarding contracts through tenders.

Backhaul for the BTSs

Bharath net optical fibres will be utilised, as far as possible, for providing backhaul to the BTSs of this project.

Challenges involved

Laying of optical fibre cable from Bharath net fibre to BTSs will be a challenge as it may involve negotiating with hard, rocky terrain or the route may pass through forest areas.

Quick restoration of backhaul fibre in case of fibre cut, may involve a lot of challenges as these sites are remotely located without proper transport facilities. All weather roads may not be available to most of the sites. Availability of uninterrupted commercial power supply will be an issue. DG sets should be switched on when there is a failure of commercial power supply and switched off when it restores. The DG sets may have an auto start/ stop facility but in practice it may not always work (especially auto stop). Taking the help of a neighbour to switch on /off the DG set is a practical idea which the author implemented while working in the field. Theft of startup batteries of DG sets is another challenge.

Most of the people in these villages may not have cell phones and even if they have, they may be only feature phones. Giving them 4G enabled smartphones at an affordable price is a challenge. BSNL can have tie-ups with cell phone vendors and sell 4G smartphones (at an) affordable price) along with 4G SIMs as a combo package. It can design special, affordable tariff packages for this project to suit the voice/ data usage pattern of the users in these villages.

Local bodies/ voluntary organisations should educate the 4G users in these villages on cyber/SIM frauds so that these innocent, not so tech savvy people will not become prey to the fraudsters and lose their hard earned money.

Way forward

Indians will be making 100 per cent digital payments by 2040 as the country has put in place measures to bridge the digital divide. BSNL 4G saturation project is an important measure in this direction. Although achieving good availability of these BTSs is a real challenge, as these BTSs are located in remote areas, BSNL is second to none to meet such challenges. Compared to other telecom service providers, BSNL is having more rural BTSs in its present network. The experience of maintenance of a good number of rural BTSs will stand BSNL in good stead in achieving good availability of BTSs of 4G saturation project also.

The author has suggested to BSNL to rechristen this project as BSNL 4G NATU project (NATU: National Aspiration for providing Telecom to Unconnected). Common people don't understand the word 'saturation' whereas everybody understands 'NATU' because of the globally acclaimed NATU song. The 'NATU' song depicts the rustic, raw, simple and native lifestyle of rural people. This BSNL project also focuses on rural people.

(The author is a former Advisor, Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Government of India)