BSNL Chairman and Managing Director Robert Ravi officially announced that the state-owned telco is preparing to soft launch its 5G services within the next six months.
Speaking at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, Ravi confirmed that the initial 5G rollout will focus on Delhi, utilizing the company’s existing indigenous 4G infrastructure, which was designed to be “5G-ready” from the start.
BSNL 5G Rollout Roadmap
The transition from 4G to 5G is part of a phased strategy to modernize India’s public telecom sector without relying on foreign vendors.
- Soft Launch (Delhi): Expected by August 2026. This controlled launch is intended for network fine-tuning and user experience monitoring before a wider commercial release.
- Indigenous Stack: The network utilizes the 100% homegrown 4G/5G stack developed by C-DOT, Tejas Networks, and TCS.
- Rapid Upgrading: Having already commissioned over 100,000 4G towers across India by early 2026, BSNL plans to switch these sites to 5G through software-led upgrades rather than massive hardware replacements.
- Quantum 5G FWA: This announcement follows the successful 2025 pilot of Quantum 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) in cities like Hyderabad and Bengaluru, which provided fiber-like speeds over 5G without physical SIM cards.
Key Technology Features
BSNL is positioning its 5G not just as a speed upgrade, but as a platform for specialized services.
| Feature | Strategic Purpose |
| Edge AI Integration | Leveraging BharatNet infrastructure to bring high-speed Edge AI to rural and remote areas. |
| VoWiFi Support | Already active in several circles to improve indoor call quality in low-signal areas. |
| Network Slicing | Future 5G Standalone (SA) core will allow for dedicated, SLA-backed links for hospitals and smart factories. |
| Quality Oversight | Special circle-level teams have been deployed to monitor call drop rates and network stability during the 5G transition. |
Competitive Strategy
With private players like Jio and Airtel having already completed their nationwide 5G rollouts, BSNL is focusing on technological sovereignty and affordability.
- Direct Competition: By launching 5G in Delhi first, BSNL aims to directly challenge private operators in high-density urban markets.
- Subscriber Growth: Following a successful 2025 where BSNL’s subscriber base rose to 93 million (its first increase in years), the 5G launch is seen as a primary tool to prevent customer churn and attract younger, data-heavy users.
“BSNL is fully ready to move to 5G. This isn’t just about faster browsing; it’s about building a secure, indigenous network that can support the next generation of AI and IoT applications for every Indian citizen.” — Robert Ravi, CMD, BSNL.
