BSNL signs up 8-lakh 3G services customers in a year of launch
11 Feb 2010
Even as private mobile phone operators await the much delayed 3G spectrum auction, the state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has already signed up over 8-lakh subscribers within a year of the roll out of its 3G services.
The company is now gearing up to cover all major cities and towns under its 3G network. According to a senior BSNL official, in less than a year the company had rolled out its 3G services across 318 cities with 8.56 lakh subscribers.
He added that in the first phase that would end in March this year, the company planned to cover 400 cities while 760 cities would be covered for advanced mobile services by September this year.
He added that all major cities and towns would be covered by this year-end. He said that BSNL had tested its premium 3G service in Chennai on 22February last year. The commercial launch of the service happened five days later covering 11 cities in the north and east zones. The service has since been rolled out in south zone also.
BSNL currently boasts a mobile customer base of over 6 crore and over the past two months it has been adding 20-lakh customers every month on an average.
Meanwhile, the government is mulling a proposal for private placement of its shares due to opposition from unions for an IPO or stake sale to a strategic investor, according to the Business Standard.
