NEW DELHI: Telecom operators have invested over Rs4.56 lakh crore in capital expenditure over the past two financial years to transition from 4G to 5G, Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia revealed on Monday.
Speaking on the NDA government’s achievements during the first 100 days of its third term, Scindia also highlighted that BSNL is on track to complete the installation of 1 lakh 4G towers by mid-2025.
Despite this aggressive investment, Scindia noted that tariffs have significantly declined over the past decade. Voice call rates have dropped by 94 per cent, from 51 paise per minute to 3.5 paise, while 1 GB of internet data costs have plummeted by 97 per cent from Rs297 to just 8.75 paise.
He addressed concerns about rising tariffs and their impact on service affordability, explaining that although telcos increased rates by 10-27 per cent in July, overall affordability remains much improved compared with a decade ago.
BSNL subscribers
BSNL, following this hike, saw a surge of 29.47 lakh subscribers, while private operators Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea, and Reliance Jio collectively lost 38.65 lakh customers.
Commenting on the recent Supreme Court order on adjusted gross revenue (AGR), Scindia stated that the telecom ministry is still examining the ruling’s implications but emphasised that India’s telecom sector remains robust, supported by substantial investments and rapid 5G rollout.
Underlining achievements in infrastructure development, Scindia mentioned that over 36,000 mobile towers have been installed for BSNL’s 4G services, and more than 7,000 towers were set up in the last 100 days alone, extending coverage to 9,560 villages.
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