BHUBANESWAR: Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) plans to upgrade its mobile network in Balasore, Bhadrak, and Mayurbhanj districts. The telecom operator also asserted that it will launch its 4G services in the State during 2018-19.
Informing about the telecom major’s plans, BSNL-Odisha Telecom Circle CGM Satyananda Naik said the telecom operator will spend over Rs 180 crore for upgrading equipment and launching 4G services in the State.
Plans are also on to install 276 Base Transceiver Station (BTS) towers in Odisha for 4G network. Besides this, the corporate office has been requested to allot 1,500 additional BTS towers for converting 2G networks into 3G networks.
In Odisha, BSNL has 3496 BTS towers of 2G network and and about 1,958 BTS towers of 3G network. The Centre has reportedly asked the telecom operator for depositing Rs 32,000 crore for obtaining the 4G spectrum.
Odisha Circle officials informed that till February this year, about 13.85 lakh new users, including over 3 lakh mobile number portability customers, have subscribed to the telecom operator’s services.
Naik pointed out that out of 52 lakh mobile customers in the State, only 25 per cent have linked their mobile numbers with Aadhaar cards and urged the customers to complete the process.
Supreme Court recently extended the deadline to March 31 for Aadhaar linking. BSNL Odisha Circle also announced some new tariff for its mobile customers, including Rs 99 special tariff voucher (STV), Rs 118 voucher and Rs 319 voucher which will provide unlimited calling facility to any network.