BSNL's Struggle in the Telecom Arena: Unfair Tariff Hikes and Departmental Hurdles

State-run BSNL faces challenges competing with private telecom operators due to a lack of 4G and 5G services, allowing private providers to hike tariffs without restraint. BSNL Employees Union calls the recent tariff hikes by Reliance Jio and Airtel unwarranted, pointing to their substantial profits as evidence. The union criticizes the government's restrictions on BSNL upgrading its network, urging prompt action for 4G and 5G rollouts.

The state-run telecom giant BSNL is grappling with its inability to compete with private telecom operators due to the absence of 4G and 5G services, which has led to an unchecked rise in mobile service tariffs, the BSNL Employees Union revealed on Tuesday.

In a letter addressed to Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, the union cited the recent tariff hikes by Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel as unnecessary given their profit margins. 'Previously, BSNL's presence kept private telecom companies from arbitrarily increasing their tariffs,' the letter stated. 'However, without 4G and 5G, BSNL is unable to restrain such increases.'

The recent tariff hikes range from 10-27%, and while Jio and Airtel have already implemented the new rates, Vi's hike will be effective from July 4. The union argued that these hikes, claimed to boost average revenue per user, are unjustified given the significant profits of Jio and Airtel. 'This steep increase will adversely impact the common people,' the union emphasized, urging immediate government action to facilitate BSNL's competition capabilities.

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