Thiruvananthapuram: Public-sector BSNL will roll out 4G services in Kerala by this September, a top official said here today adding customers will be able to use it from December.
It is proposed to install about 2,200 4G sites during the next one year, covering all district headquarters, major cities and towns in the State, BSNL Chief General Manager (Kerala Circle) R Mani told reporters here.
The service would be introduced in a phased manner and the project would be completed by March next year. The complicated tender procedures had caused a delay in the 4G rollout in the circle, he said.
"Kerala circle will roll out 4G during this financial year. From September onwards, it will start. First experience of 4G in the State will be by December," Mani said. Purchase orders in this regard had been placed, the official said adding that Nokia would be supplying equipment.
BSNL also had plans to upgrade the 3G service to 4G and discussions were on in this regard. "Not only that, we are going to replace our old technology. The aim is increase 3G coverage in the circle to 90 per cent by the year-end," he said.
As many as 1,100 new 3G and 300 new 2G sites were planned in the circle. Wi-fi Hotspots with mobile data offload (MDO) feature have been planned at 311 locations across Kerala.
The official said the State government had come out with a tender of 2000 wi-fi hotspots and the BSNL is also participating in it. With an aim to improve the network connectivity in Lakshadweep island, part of the Kerala circle, the State-run operator is planning to add 10 new 2G sites and 12 3G sites within three months supported by 300 Mbps backhaul via satellite, Mani said.
With the new initiatives, all the important islands in Lakshadweep having a population of more than 5,000 would get 3G, he added. BSNL Kerala circle earned a gross revenue of Rs. 3104 crore during the financial year 2016-17 against a gross revenue of Rs. 2955 crore during the previous financial year, the CGM said. The net profit for the financial year for the circle stood at Rs. 700 crore, which was the highest among all BSNL circles, he added.
