New Delhi: State-owned telecom service provider Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is preparing for the rollout and expansion of its indigenous 5G services following the steady performance and ongoing expansion of its 4G network across the country, a senior official said.
Speaking to ANI on the sidelines of the India Mobile Congress 2026, Vivek Dua, Principal General Manager at BSNL, said the company was moving towards the next generation of mobile connectivity while introducing several consumer-facing and network-level platforms.
“See, 5G we are certainly moving in that direction. Our 4G network is now delivering what it was expected to. We are further expanding the 4G footprint also in the months to come,” Dua said.
He said BSNL was preparing for the transition to 5G and added that customers would be able to take pride in using an indigenous network.
“Rest assured, we are all geared up for the growth of the 5G network again in the times to come, and customers definitely will have the pride of us being on the indigenous 5G network,” he said.
BSNL upgrades Vani chatbot for regional-language support
Highlighting its customer-support initiatives, Dua said BSNL had upgraded its automated interface, Vani, by integrating it with the network’s core infrastructure. The upgrade is intended to help subscribers understand connectivity issues and raise complaints through interactions in regional languages.
“Foremost is our customer-centric initiative where my chatbot Vani has been further powered with the network brain and we have brought the customer now very close to what actual network health is, and in the native language, customer can interact with Vani,” Dua said.
He added that customers could explain the problems they were facing through voice conversations, with complaints registered when necessary. The company aims to resolve these issues in the shortest possible time, he said.
Partnership to strengthen network security
BSNL has partnered with cybersecurity firm Saptang to introduce an indigenous data-filtering mechanism within its core network to address security threats before data reaches users’ devices.
“We have partnered with Saptang to bring the best in technology for the filtering of data, for protecting the customer data, and a lot of challenges that customers face. We want to have those things attended to right in the heart of the network,” Dua said.
He added that the initiative was intended to ensure that data flowing to and from users’ devices was protected against potential threats.
Bharat Sandesh to connect citizens with government, private entities
BSNL also unveiled Bharat Sandesh, a two-way digital communication platform designed to facilitate verified interactions between citizens, government departments and private organisations, including banks and utility providers.
Dua said the platform would bring multiple services together on a single interface, allowing users to communicate with organisations through chat and voice-based interactions powered by artificial intelligence (AI).
“On this platform, not only the government but the private enterprises also will be able to communicate,” he said, explaining that subscribers could interact with banks, electricity providers, water companies and other agencies through a single screen.
BSNL credits government support for indigenous telecom infrastructure
Dua said government support had played an important role in developing indigenous telecom infrastructure and expanding connectivity through initiatives such as BharatNet, particularly in remote areas.
“Our government has always been very, very supportive, has been doing phenomenal work in all financial and technical support, and as you understand, the 4G indigenous thing has come up only because of the government support, and that's the first success,” he said.
He also described BharatNet as a major initiative for expanding digital connectivity across the country.
“The Bharat Net project is also reaching every nook and corner of the country. This is a grand success for the digital inclusion of all masses across the country,” Dua added.
