‘Of 1.37 crore new customers, BSNL loses 65.81 lakh last year’

New Delhi: It seems the initiatives taken by the government to revive the state-run telecom service provider (TSP) Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) are going into the drain as the lone public TSP has lost 65,81,184 lakh customers after adding 1,37,67,755 new customers in the last financial year (April 2022 to March 2023).

In a written reply to a question asked by BJP MP Harish Dwivedi, who represents Basti seat in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Communications Devusinh Chauhan informed the Lower House that the BSNL, which is providing 4G services in 26 circles across the country on limited scale, has been able to add 31,46,860 new customers in first three months of the current fiscal.

In the last financial year, 65,81,184 customers ported out of BSNL through mobile number portability and 16,85,191 joined BSNL from other telecom service providers, Chauhan told Lok Sabha. The minister further stated that 16,43,053 customers ported out of the BSNL in the first quarter of the current fiscal and 2,77,030 customers opted the state-run TSP through MNP in the first three months of this fiscal.

In reply to the query of time by which BSNL is planning to provide 4G facility in circles where this facility is not available, Chauhan said, “In line with atmanirbhar initiative of the government, BSNL has issued purchase orders for 1 lakh 4G sites to rollout 4G services all over India within 18 to 24 month.”