BSNL geared up for 5G expansion as 4G network delivers desired results, says senior official

New Delhi: State-owned telecom service provider Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is preparing for the rollout and growth of its indigenous 5G services following the steady performance and ongoing expansion of its 4G network across the country, a senior official said.

Speaking to on the sidelines of the India Mobile Congress 2026, Vivek Dua, Principal General Manager at BSNL, stated that the telecommunications firm is moving swiftly towards the next generation of mobile connectivity while rolling out several consumer and network-level platforms.

"See, 5G we are certainly moving in that direction. Our 4G network is now delivering what it was expected to. We are further expanding the 4G of footprint also in the months to come," Dua said.


Read more: BSNL 4G towers to be upgraded to 5G in 6-8 months: Jyotiraditya Scindia

He noted that the ground is prepared for the upcoming network transition, and "rest assured, we are all geared up for the growth of the 5G network again in the times to come, and customers definitely will have the pride of us being on the indigenous 5G network."

Highlighting consumer support systems introduced at the event, the official highlighted that BSNL upgraded its automated interface, named Vani, linking it directly to the core network infrastructure to allow subscribers to resolve connectivity issues through regional languages.

"Foremost is our customer-centric initiative where my chatbot Vani has been further powered with the network brain and we have brought the customer now very close to what actual network health is, and in the native language, customer can interact with Vani," Dua said.

Read more: BSNL to add 50,000-60,000 more mobile towers, FY26 operating profit to grow in double digits: Scindia

"Get what the challenge the customer is facing is and, if required, a complaint also gets booked over the voice conversation, and rest assured, with the minimal possible time the customer will have the problem fixed," he added.

Touching upon security protocols, the public sector unit partnered with cybersecurity firm Saptang to deploy an indigenous data filtration mechanism inside the core network to counter security threats before traffic reaches end-user hardware.

"We have partnered with Saptang to bring the best in technology for the filtering of data, for protecting the customer data, and a lot of challenges that customers face. We want to have those things attended to right in the heart of the network so that the end devices customer may have anything, but the data which flows in and out of the device is pure, clear data without any challenges to the customer," Dua stated.

BSNL also unveiled 'Bharat Sandesh', a two-way digital communication platform designed for verified interactions between citizens, government bodies, and commercial entities like utility boards and banks on a unified interface.

"On this platform, not only the government but the private enterprises also will be able to communicate. So if I'm a customer and I am a subscriber to, let us say, a bank, electricity company, a water company, and then of course the other agencies, all of them into one single screen, I can interact, I can select, I can chat. Again, this is all AI-powered, and a voice interaction is there," Dua said.

He pointed out that central backing played an essential role in rolling out indigenous telecom infrastructure and driving connectivity initiatives like BharatNet across remote geographies.

"Our government has always been very, very supportive, has been doing phenomenal work in all financial and technical support, and as you understand, the 4G indigenous thing has come up only because of the government support, and that's the first success," he said.

"The Bharat Net project is also reaching every nook and corner of the country. This is a grand success for the digital inclusion of all masses across the country," Dua added.