In response to Unstarred Question No. 1973 regarding BSNL mobile subscribers, to be answered on February 11, 2026, the Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development (Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar) provided the following information: Subscriber details, including growth percentages, for all telecom providers including BSNL, are available on the TRAI website (https://www.trai.gov.in/release-publication/reports/telecom-subscriptions-reports). As of December 31, 2025, BSNL has 9,27,56,716 mobile subscribers and 2,55,128 BTS (2G/3G/4G) installed, equating to 364 subscribers per BTS. BSNL has placed orders for one lakh indigenously developed 4G sites for pan-India deployment, with equipment supply beginning in September 2023. As of January 15, 2026, 97,672 4G sites have been installed and 95,511 are ON-Air. The equipment is 5G upgradable.
Key Entities Referenced
BSNL: Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, the public sector telecom operator, which is the primary subject of the question.
Ministry of Communications: The ministry to which the question is addressed.
TRAI: Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, publishes data on telecom subscribers including BSNL.
Aatmanirbhar Bharat: Government of India initiative referenced in the context of BSNL's 4G deployment.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS
DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1973
TO BE ANSWERED ON 11TH FEBRUARY, 2026
MOBILE SUBSCRIBERS OF BSNL
1973. DR. M K VISHNU PRASAD:
Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:
(a) the details of the number of mobile subscribers of BSNL in the country, State wise;
(b) the details of percentage of the growth registered in the number of subscribers during the last
five years and current year;
(c) the details of the number of telephone/mobile towers of BSNL with respect to the percentage
of subscribers; and
(d) the time by which the 4G/5G services are likely to be started/completed for the BSNL
network services, State-wise?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(DR. PEMMASANI CHANDRA SEKHAR)
(a) & (b) The details of subscribers in the country for various Telecom Service Providers
including BSNL as collected and published by TRAI from time to time are available on its website
(https://www.trai.gov.in/release-publication/reports/telecom-subscriptions-reports).
(c) As on 31.12.2025, BSNL has total 9,27,56,716 number of Mobile Subscribers and total
2,55,128 number of BTS (2G/3G/4G) installed. There are 364 number of mobile subscribers per
BTS.
(d) In line with Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, BSNL has placed purchase order for indigenously
developed one lakh 4G sites for pan India deployment. Supply of 4G equipment has started from
September 2023 and as on 15.01.2026, total 97,672 4G sites have been installed and 95,511 sites are
ON-Air. The equipment is 5G upgradable from technology perspective.
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