Despite making significant efforts to increase its customer base, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has seen a decline in its user numbers. According to a report by TRAI, BSNL lost approximately 6 lakh subscribers between July and October 2024. This is a concerning trend for the company, which had previously seen a significant surge in its user base after Jio, Airtel, and Vodafone-Idea increased their plan prices, leading many users to shift to BSNL.
However, this trend has now reversed, with users returning to Jio and Airtel. This has left BSNL and Vodafone Idea bearing the brunt of this sudden shift. In an effort to compete in the market, BSNL has accelerated its work on 4G sites, rolling out its network on 75,000 sites out of a total of 83,000 sites. The company is also working on its 5G network, with Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia confirming that the network will be built entirely using Indian equipment.
While the launch date of BSNL 5G has not been confirmed, the company’s entire focus is on this network. Despite these efforts, BSNL’s customer base continues to decline, highlighting the challenges the company faces in the highly competitive telecommunications market.