After years of seeing low, India’s state-owned telecom company Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) finally made a profit, that is 17 years to be exact. The company generated USD 30,130,000 (INR 262 crore) in the fourth and final quarter of 2024, between October and December 2024. The situation could give the company a marquee perspective going forward as it seeks to restore its fortunes back in the industry.
To put matter into perspective, the company was written off as a key player in the market. With Jio’s 4G revolution and Airtel’s dominance, BSNL lagged behind in the corner. However, the government’s initiatives have helped prop up its fortunes again.
The country’s Union minister G Kishan Reddy stated, “BSNL has been revived not just as a telecom company but as a symbol of India’s Atmanirbharta, digital empowerment and commitment to connecting every corner of our nation!”
Also: Types of 5G Network With Different Variants and Releases
BSNL road to profit, how did it happen?
Minister Reddy identified a few reasons behind BSNL’s climb to financial charts. One of them was an indigenous 4G, which was the work of the past two years. The federal government contributed $36 billion USD in the telco and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) since 2018 for the 4G rollout.
Also, the company worked on expanding 4G coverage by installing new towers. The company installed 62,000 new 4G towers as of December 202,4, and a further 100,000 towers have been installed as of February 2025. It was also merged with Bharat Broadbank Network Limited (BBNL) in line with aiding the company’s financial strains. These efforts have propelled BSNL once again into the limelight.
But while the recent positive finances would give plenty of reasons for it to be happy, it needs consistency and growth to stay competitive in the market dominated by the private heavyweights such as Jio and Airtel, which have already expanded 5G across various parts of India. In fact, Jio claims all-India 5G coverage already.
BSNL boasts 85.77 million subscribers as of June 2024 and is the fourth largest telecommunications service provider in India.