Assam leads India’s indigenous 4G network with 2,053 towers, eyes 5G, 6G future
BSNL will establish a major data centre in Guwahati, boosting jobs & digital growth, says CM Sarma
CM Sarm (centre) with Jyotiraditya Scindia (right) at the 4G launch programme, on Saturday. (Photo - @CMOfficeAssam / X)
Guwahati, Sept 27: Assam has taken the lead in India’s Swadeshi 4G revolution, with 2,053 towers already set up across the state as part of the country’s first fully indigenous mobile network.
The landmark project, inaugurated nationally by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Jharsuguda, Odisha, on Saturday, marks India’s entry into the league of nations with their own end-to-end telecom technology.
A special event at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Tata Sons Chairman N. Chandrasekaran, and BSNL CMD A. Robert J. Ravi lauded the initiative and Assam's growing role in sector.
Highlighting Assam’s leadership, CM Sarma said, “Across India, 92,633 Swadeshi towers have been developed and of them, 2,053 are in Assam. This demonstrates how Assam is leading India’s digital transformation. For the first time, every tower, machine, software, and even optical fibre in our network is fully Swadeshi. This is a proud moment for the nation and for Assam.”
The state will also host one of BSNL’s five upcoming data centres, to be built in Guwahati.
“With a data centre in Guwahati, the IT park near Borjhar will see rapid growth, creating thousands of opportunities for Assam’s youth in software and data management,” Sarma added.
Union Minister Scindia confirmed that a 5G research lab would be set up at Gauhati University, fulfilling a promise made during Advantage Assam. This, he said, would make Assam a hub of telecom research and innovation.
"Earlier, India was a service nation, but now we are a producer nation. Earlier, we were seen as a consumer nation, but today, we are an innovation, entrepreneurship and exports centre," the Union Minister said.
The rollout coincides with BSNL’s silver jubilee in Assam, making the state’s role even more significant. The Swadeshi 4G network will soon expand to 5G, with a roadmap for 6G by 2030.