New Delhi, March 30 (Bureau) A 4G network developed indigenously is ready for rollout soon, Communications and Electronics & Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. Replying to supplementary questions in the lower House, Vaishnaw also said the BSNL is once again in operating profits. Asked about the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), Vaishnaw said, “We have discussed many times who is responsible for the situation of BSNL. I will talk about the steps we have taken and after many years, BSNL is once again in operating profits.”
The Minister also said an indigenously developed 4G network will be rolled out soon, which will be followed by a domestically developed 5G network. “I can say proudly, our own Indian 4G core network, radio network, is ready. The rollout will start soon. The whole world is surprised how we developed our own 4G network so soon… the next step is 5G, that would also be done soon,” he said. Replying to questions on poor connectivity in parts of the country, Vaishnaw said nine schemes have been taken up by the government to improve mobile telecom networks. He said over 9,000 towers have been constructed in aspirational districts and the Northeastern states. The Minister also said a Rs 6,446 crore scheme has been taken to improve mobile infrastructure in over 60,200 villages across the country.