Shillong, September 26 : As part of its Silver Jubilee year celebrations, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) organized a press briefing to mark the rollout of indigenous 4G technology across the Northeast. Prime Minister will launch this tomorrow, at Jharsuguda, Odisha, to dedicate 92,633 new 4G sites, including 14,000+ towers under the 4G Saturation Project. This milestone places India among the select five countries globally with its own complete telecom stack, paving the way for future 5G deployment.
In NE1 circle under 4G saturation project total planned are 406 tower (Meghalaya 238), Mizoram- 53 and Tripura- 115) and till date total 246 tower are commissioned (Meghalaya-136, Mizoram-17, and Tripura- 93).
The Swadeshi 4G network covers 12 districts in Meghalaya, 9 districts in Mizoram and 8 Districts in Tripura by installing total 1278 towers with estimated project cost of 1092 crore. Additional coverage is being extended under BOP BIP and Phase IX.2 projects, significantly expanding connectivity to border and remote areas.
Under BOP BIP project total planned 18 tower (Meghalaya-15, Mizoram-3) and till date total 2 tower commissioned in Meghalaya. Under Phase IX.2 project, which would benefit high speed 4G mobile connectivity to all parts of the state, likely to upgrade into ultra-high speed 5G network shortly. In NE1 circle, total planned towers are 848 with 262 towers in Meghalaya and so far, 252 have been commissioned.
Speaking at the briefing, Chief General Manager, BSNL, NE-1 Circle, Daily Giri, said, “With this indigenous 4G rollout, India joins a select group of nations capable of developing and deploying their own telecom technology. The launch marks a landmark moment for BSNL and for the country’s digital journey.”
She added, “This project will bring affordable and reliable connectivity to some of the remotest corners of the country, truly bridging the digital divide and empowering citizens.”
She further noted, “BSNL has turned profitable in recent quarters, and with the support of the Government of India’s initiatives like the 4G Saturation Project, we are confident of sustaining this momentum while delivering world-class services.”
Presentations were made on the scale of the rollout, technical features of the indigenous stack, and the role of partners such as TCS, C-DOT, Tejas Networks, HFCL, and Ceragon in building the “Swadeshi 4G” ecosystem. Officials highlighted the strategic importance of this rollout for education, healthcare, financial services, and border security.
The briefing saw the participation of Daily Giri, Chief General Manager, BSNL North East-1 Circle; Thaiu Mag, Principal General Manager (Sales and Marketing); H. L. Nongkhlaw, Principal General Manager (Consumer Mobility); C. Lalhmachhuana, Principal General Manager (Consumer Fixed Access); P. K. Barapatre, Senior General Manager (HR); R. K. Soni, General Manager (BharatNet); K. Patton, General Manager (Enterprise Business); and G. Pathak, Financial Adviser, Office of the CGMT.
