BSNL 4G tower roll-out in Chennai to take 6 more months
Of the 2,114 towers planned in these four districts, around 1,200 have been set up so far. BSNL is also in the process of testing its 5G network
Representative image
CHENNAI: The installation of 4G mobile towers in Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur will take another six months to complete because of delays in equipment procurement, according to S Parthiban, chief general manager, BSNL.
Of the 2,114 towers planned in these four districts, around 1,200 have been set up so far. BSNL is also in the process of testing its 5G network.
State-wide, around 7,545 4G sites have been commissioned under the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) 4G Saturation (DBN) scheme and the Phase IX.2 project. The State government has given BSNL land free of cost to speed up installations and approvals.
Parthiban said, “The nationwide plan aims to provide 4G services to 24,680 uncovered villages. In Tamil Nadu, USOF initially identified 620 such villages. A survey later found that 289 villages had no mobile coverage. To address this, 257 locations were selected, 222 for new towers and 35 for upgrading existing 2G sites. Of these, 254 towers have been commissioned, and the rest will be operational by December 2025.”
The project, which began in March 2023, carries an outlay of Rs 245 crore. With support from the State government, BSNL has secured entry permission for 209 sites, including 21 in forest areas, and 13 rental sites.
In the Chennai region, 19 villages have already been upgraded to 4G. Large-scale work is under way in Salem, Cuddalore, Vellore, Madurai and Erode, including remote areas of The Nilgiris and several hill tracts such as Sathyamangalam, Kolli Hills and Yercaud. USOF has also approved 49 additional sites and four upgrades, with land identification in progress.
“Customer service centres are being outsourced to cope with staff shortages and other practical issues,” Parthiban added.
Nationally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will soon commission more than 97,500 mobile 4G towers for Rs 37,000 crore with indigenous technology. This includes over 92,600 BSNL sites and 18,900 towers funded under the Digital Bharat Nidhi, aimed at connecting 26,700 remote, border and left-wing extremism-affected villages. Many of these towers are solar-powered, making them the country’s largest cluster of green telecom installations.
