Yes, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, commonly known as BSNL, is a government company. It is a fully government-owned central public sector undertaking in the telecommunications sector under the administrative control of Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications, Government of India. Founded in the year 2000 by the Government of India, it is the largest government-owned wireless telecommunications service provider in India.
BSNL provides a comprehensive range of telecommunications products and services, such as landline telephone services, GSM-based mobile telephony services, broadband, internet, enterprise solutions, carrier services, international services and more.
Here is a quick overview of BSNL
| Details | Info |
| Founded | 15th September 2000 |
| Founder | Government of India |
| Headquarters | New Delhi, India |
| Chairman | A Robert J Ravi |
| Industry | Telecommunications |
| Products and Services | Fixed-line Telephony, Mobile Telephony, FTTH, Broadband, Internet and more |
| Divisions | BSNL Mobile, BSNL Broadband, Bharat Net, Bharat Fiber, BSNL Towers |
| Subsidiaries | Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited, BBNL |
| Official Website | www.bsnl.co.in |
Company History
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited was officially incorporated by the Government of India on 15th September 2000, with operations commencing on 1st October 2000. It took over the telecom service functions of the Department of Telecommunications, except in Mumbai and Delhi which were in the domain of MTNL.
By early 2000s, BSNL had reached a market share of 72% in fixed-line telephony. The company launched mobile telephony services in the year 2002 through CellOne GSM/CDMA. In the year 2007, the company set up 8,000 telecommunication towers throughout India. BSNL launched 3G services pan India in the year 2009.
BSNL discontinued telegram services in the year 2013. In the 2018-2020 period, the company received approval from the Department of Telecommunications to launch 4G services and raised INR 8,500 crore through local bond sales. In the year 2022, BSNL received a package of INR 1.64 lakh crore from the Government of India for 4G/5G spectrum, network upgrades and debt restructuring.
On 18th March 2025, BSNL announced its transition from 4G to 5G, following the completion of its 100,000-site 4G rollout.
Current Status
BSNL has the one of the widest coverage in India, particularly in rural and remote parts of the country. Its subscriber has grown from 8.86 crore in March 2024 to 9.28 crore in December 2025. The company is consistently reporting quarterly profits since the third quarter of FY25.
BSNL has deployed indigenous 4G equipment in partnership with a consortium led by Tata Consultancy Services. The company has successfully launched pan-India 4G services, with strong progress in rural and underserved areas.
BSNL is yet to commercially launch 5G nationwide but preparing upgrades for the same.
Future Outlook
BSNL is poised for sustained growth in the coming years, driven by government backing, adoption of indigenous technologies and a focus on consolidating its network before moving to next-generation services. The company is expected to commercially rollout 5G in select areas by late 2026 or 2027.
