Leading Technology Providers Join BSNL's 4G Initiative
BSNL has received Expressions of Interest (EoIs) from several leading Indian technology companies for its Phase-9 initiative to deploy 57,000 4G sites across the country. Participating Master System Integrators (MSIs) include HFCL, ITI Limited, Tech Mahindra, L&T, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), and Galore Networks. The initiative marks a significant step in accelerating India's indigenous telecom ecosystem by evaluating homegrown 4G core and radio technologies while preparing the foundation for nationwide commercial deployment.
Strategic Technology Partnerships Take Shape
HFCL and L&T have partnered with Mavenir for radio access technology while selecting PertSol to deliver the 4G Core solution. Tech Mahindra has collaborated with Sterlite for radio technology and PertSol for the core network. ITI Limited and TCS have independently submitted bids with C-DoT for the 4G core and Tejas Networks for radio technology. Galore Networks, known for its expertise across 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, IoT, cloud, NFV-SDN, and legacy telecom networks, has submitted an independent proposal without partnering with any external core or radio technology provider.
Following the evaluation process, BSNL will issue Letters of Intent to qualified bidders, who will be required to furnish a ₹5 crore bank guarantee before commencing the Proof of Concept (PoC). Eight cities have been identified for the trial phase, with each selected MSI responsible for deploying both radio access and core network technologies in its assigned location to validate solution performance before the commercial tender.
Proof of Concept to Drive Nationwide 4G Deployment
The Proof of Concept phase is expected to be completed within four months, after which successful participants will become eligible to compete in BSNL's commercial rollout. Subject to successful trials, BSNL anticipates launching its nationwide 4G services within approximately ten months, making the PoC a critical milestone in the country's telecom modernization roadmap. Any delays during validation could proportionally extend the deployment schedule.
The initiative follows multiple refinements to BSNL's procurement strategy after earlier tenders were withdrawn in response to industry concerns regarding restrictive participation criteria. A revised tender introduced updated technical requirements, including source code escrow provisions for both radio and core network technologies. Subsequently, approvals from the Empowered Technology Group (ETG) and the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) enabled a revised procurement approach that also allows global vendors such as Nokia, Ericsson, and Samsung to participate through a separate tender covering an additional 50,000 4G sites.
PertSol's selection as the 4G Core technology partner by multiple participating system integrators highlights the industry's confidence in indigenous telecom core capabilities and reinforces the collective effort to build secure, scalable, and future-ready network infrastructure that supports India's long-term digital transformation objectives.
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