To encourage the uptake of upcoming 4G services, BSNL is offering free data with 4G SIM upgrades

Consumers can update their SIM card to 4G for free if they receive a reply SMS displaying 3G. For some time now, BSNL has been urging customers to upgrade to 4G in accordance with the digitization of KYC and the Department of Telecommunications' (DoT) previously released guidelines.

In an attempt to entice customers to upgrade to the newest technology and take advantage of its soon-to-be-launched 4G services, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is providing consumers with additional data benefits when they transition from an outdated BSNL 2G/3G SIM to a BSNL 4G SIM. Users who upgrade their old 2G/3G SIM to 4G for free will receive 4GB of free data, good for three months, according to a tweet from BSNL Andhra Pradesh.

Customers can use this data on BSNL's high-speed network, if it is accessible in their location, after upgrading to a 4G SIM. According to BSNL, users can upgrade to a 4G SIM by going to the closest BSNL Customer Service Centre, Franchisee, Retailer, or DSA.

To find out the type of SIM card they have, BSNL AP customers can send an SMS with the word "SIM" to 54040. According to BSNL, consumers can update their SIM card to 4G for free if they receive a reply SMS displaying 3G. For some time now, BSNL has been urging customers to upgrade to 4G in accordance with the digitization of KYC and the Department of Telecommunications' (DoT) previously released guidelines.

Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Minister of Information Technology and Telecom, announced that BSNL will start deploying extensive 4G infrastructure in India on Diwali. Aiming to facilitate the upgrade, BSNL is encouraging its consumers to try out 4G technology by getting them to upgrade to 4G SIMs.

P K Purwar, the Managing Director (CMD) and Chairman of BSNL, stated during IMC 2023 that the company plans to build out 4G nationwide by June 2024, at which point the emphasis will switch to 5G rollout.

Despite providing additional connections, BSNL reported a loss in income as a result of falling telecom service pricing. In its annual report for FY23, BSNL stated: “The tariffs for telecom services are going down day by day. Consequently, revenues are dropping in spite of provision of large number of new connections. BSNL is trying to increase the Average Revenue per User (ARPU) by providing innovative value added services to its customers both on wire line and wireless network. In order to increase its revenue, BSNL has taken several new initiatives like Infrastructure Sharing, Commercial Utilization of Fixed Assets, Exploring International Business, Enterprise Business and Fixed Mobile Convergence.”

According to BSNL’s financial performance, revenues from enterprise, FTTH, and mobile have increased while those from landline and internet have fallen. The company reported a loss of Rs 8,161.56 Crores for the fiscal year 2022–2023 due to an increase in operating and administrative costs from Rs 9,499 Cr to Rs 9,834. The company’s EBITDA turned positive at Rs 1,558.79 Crores notwithstanding these difficulties.

The Union Cabinet in June this year, approved the third revival package for Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), this complete package, cost the government a total of Rs 89,047 crore, which intended to revive BSNL and establish it as a dependable telecom service provider with a particular interest and emphasis on enhancing connectivity in rural parts of India.

The first revival package, totaling Rs 69,000 crore, was approved in 2019, marking the beginning of the process to revive BSNL and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL). This package was crucial in bringing both counterparts’ operations under control.

BSNL commemorated its 23 years of providing internet service in India in October, and it is currently working to roll out more than 1 lakh 4G sites across the country by 2023–2024.