BSNL's homegrown 4G network carries 6 PB data per day: C-DoT

NEW DELHI: State-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is seeing an average data volume of 6 petabytes (PB) on its indigenous fourth-generation (4G) mobile network due to a surge in its subscriber base, said a top executive of the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT).

“There are 1.75 lakh 4G base stations deployed at 1 lakh sites, providing services to BSNL's 4G subscribers. The data transacted per day is currently 6 petabytes,” Rajkumar Upadhyay, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of C-DoT, told ET on the sidelines of CDoT’s 43rd foundation day.

The public sector telecom R&D organisation has also deployed IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) for BSNL’s 4G network to enable high-definition (HD) voice calls in seven circles, which Upadhyay said will be expanded nationwide in the coming months.


“C-DoT will provide HD voice capability to BSNL. Now, after 4G we have developed IMS to support HD voice for 4G customers. It will require minor software updates to support fifth-generation (5G) network of BSNL whenever launched,” the chief executive said.

A Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)-led consortium, which comprises homegrown Tejas Networks as the radio access network (RAN) vendor and C-DoT as the core provider, has installed a homebred 4G network for BSNL across 100,000 new sites.

BSNL is betting on its Made in India mobile network to compete against the larger private sector operators – Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea (Vi) – which already provide commercial 5G network-backed services. The public telco has nearly 9.3 crore subscribers nationwide.

Meanwhile, C-DoT has designed its indigenous 5G RAN together with WiSig, a startup and homegrown contract manufacturer VVDN Technologies. The executive said the company’s carrier-grade 5G RAN is currently undergoing live testing on BSNL’s network in Ambala, adding that it would conclude in a month.

“When BSNL implemented 4G, they opened the proof-of-concept (PoC) route because no ready technology existed at that time. They told us to conduct the entire PoC. TCS was the consortium lead bidder, along with Tejas for the radio. So, we completed PoC and demonstrated all the requirements in field condition. It came like this,” he said.

He, however, added that C-DoT’s commercial contracts with BSNL for the 5G RAN and 5G core deployment will depend on bidding conditions.

“If there is a tender, we will participate through a systems integrator (SI), who will bid on our behalf. We are also looking at export opportunities,” Upadhyay said.

C-DoT said its 5G RAN is using BSNL's spectrum in the 3600-3700MHz range during the ongoing trials. However, it can also be configured for any telco's network, it added.

He further said the 5G NSA core is already deployed across BSNL circles and 5G SA core development is in progress.

C-DoT's 4G technology has been transferred to the industry. In India, a handful of Indian companies, including ITI Limited, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), and Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) have taken the transfer of technology for 4G radios. “If they see business potential, they will manufacture the radios. I do not see manufacturing as an issue."