State-owned telecommunications service provider Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has announced a series of commercial offerings, network enhancements, and strategic partnerships to mark India’s 80th Independence Day. The announcements span mobile network expansion, promotional tariffs, home broadband plans, digital applications, and domestic hardware manufacturing collaborations.
Nationwide 4G Expansion and Network Upgrades
BSNL has ordered over 26,300 additional 4G Base Transceiver Station (BTS) sites to expand its mobile coverage across towns, villages, and remote regions. The deployment utilizes an indigenous, 5G-upgradable technology stack aimed at improving data speeds, call quality, and general service consistency.
Key Independence Day Announcements
1. Promotional Plans and Validity Offers
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Re. 1 Freedom 2.0 Plan: Targeted at onboarding new mobile subscribers, this introductory trial offer provides:
- 1 GB daily data
- 100 SMS per day
- Unlimited voice calls
- 24 days validity for ₹1
Extended Validity on ₹2,399 Annual Plan: Subscribers opting for the annual ₹2,399 prepaid plan receive an additional 47 days of validity, extending total coverage from 365 days to 412 days.
2. Broadband and Digital Services
- Fibre Freedom Plan (₹1,111/month): A high-tier FTTH broadband plan offering speeds up to 200 Mbps, a 5,000 GB monthly data allowance, and bundled access to over 25 OTT platforms.
- Revamped “BSNL Selfcare New” App: Available on Android and iOS, the updated application integrates recharge and bill payment facilities, complaint logging, DND management, AI-assisted customer support, voice search, FTTH booking, and multi-account oversight into a single interface.
- BSNL Free Entertainment TV: Powered by Tango TV and accessible via the Selfcare app, this feature delivers around 500 free live TV channels and on-demand content directly to mobile users.
- Global Satellite Phone Service (GSPS): Satellite-based voice communication services designed to provide coverage across remote, maritime, or disaster-affected areas where terrestrial connectivity is unavailable.
Hardware Partnership with Polycab
BSNL has entered into a strategic agreement with Polycab to utilize the latter’s Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS) facilities for indigenous production of network equipment, including routers, Optical Network Terminals (ONTs), and surveillance cameras.
Delivered under a Hardware-as-a-Service (HaaS) operational framework, the partnership aims to lower initial capital expenditures while supporting domestic telecom hardware manufacturing.