BSNL is Offering Free 2GB Data and 4G SIM Upgrade As Part of 4G Service Testing in Gujarat

The news of BSNL testing 4G services has been circling internet for a while. In the latest update, the telecom operator has moved to Gandhidham and Anjar town in Gujarat state with its 4G testing services.
As part of the program, the telco is offering free 4G SIM and an additional 2GB data for those upgrading to the network’s 4G services. BSNL is yet to launch 4G on a full-commercial scale. The telco has been trying and testing the possibilities in its operational circles, for now.

BSNL Testing 4G on its Current Spectrum

Although, the 2100MHz band has received the green signal for spectrum allotment, BSNL is still testing its 4G operations on the current spectrum. BSNL uses this spectrum for providing 3G services, which have not been upgraded to 4G yet. The spectrum, yet to be allocated will be used for the telco’s 4G network. So, the 3G services will be completely phased out after re-assignment, while 2G and 4G will work. The customers who wish to experience BSNL’s 4G network can head over to any office in the area and get a 4G SIM. Along with it, they will also get 2GB data upon activation. BSNL is encouraging the owners of its old SIM cards to switch to 4G in order to avoid getting stuck on the 2G or 3G network.
BSNL users have been very patient with its 4G network announcements. The telecom operator has been testing the services for quite some time and has even rolled those out in select circles. However, the full-scale launch is still awaited and we are expecting to see some progress by the end of the year. The spectrum should have been allocated by now and that’s a major reason for the delay. BSNL recently recorded a download speed of around 24.6Mbps and an upload speed of 9.25Mbps. While the speed is on par with the competitors, we can not ignore the fact that only a limited number of users are subscribed to BSNL 4G, as of now.

BSNL 4G Available at 250 Towers in the Kerela Circle

Starting with the Maharashtra circle, BSNL is slowly extending the 4G network over other regions. The telecom operator conducted a soft-launch in the Idukki district of Kerala and currently, over 250 BSNL towers are 4G-enabled in the area. Earlier last month, the BSNL 4G services were launched in the Andhra Pradesh circle and the telco has claimed to cover 46 towns in Andhra Pradesh state soon. By the end of the year, the telco is planning to commission 1,700 4G towers. While BSNL is in full preparation to get on with its 4G network, the other telecom operators are slowly moving towards the 5G technology. The 5G services are far-fetched but the telcos are already looking forward to the spectrum allocation.

As of now, the race to become the number one telecom operator is still on and users are picking from the best 4G service providers. BSNL is in a for a close fight after its 4G services roll full scale. Currently, Vodafone Idea is the largest telco, followed by Airtel and Reliance Jio. These private telcos keep launching new prepaid and postpaid plans to keep the subscribers hooked. Now, BSNL also lags in the postpaid department but is slowly catching up. Let’s hope the telco maintains its download and upload speeds after a full-fledged 4G launch.

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