BSNL plans Capex of Rs 5,132 crore for 2014-15

The state-run telecom operator BSNL is planning capital expenditure (Capex) of Rs 5,132 crore for the year 2014-15.

During this period, BSNL, which competes with Bharti Airtel, Vodafone, Idea Cellular, etc is targeting to add 100 lakh lines in GSM capacity, 100 lakh mobile connections, 30 lakh broadband connections and 20,000 RKM of optical fiber.

A report in EconomyLead.com says that BSNL added 14,388 route kilometer (RKM) of optical fiber during 2013-14 against the target of 20,000 RKM. BSNL added 83,000 broadband connections against a target of 30 lakh.

The mobile service provider has provided 9.24 crore GSM connections till March 31, 2014.

BSNL 3G services reached 1,982 cities as on March 31, 2014 after launching in February 2009. BSNL does not share the number of 3G subscribers.

Besides, BSNL has 99.65 lakh wireline broadband connections as on March 31, 2014.

BSNL lost 61.05 lakh connections against a target of providing 80 lakh new mobile phone connections in 2013-14.

The telecoms added 41.58 lakh lines of GSM in 2013-14 against the target of 90 lakh lines. The company did not add a single port in broadband capacity against the target of adding 16.1 lakh ports, a government note on BSNL said.

BSNL

The Union government earlier said it proposed to invest Rs 39,458 crore to revive BSNL and MTNL, another state-owned telecoms over the next five years.

BSNL’s market share of mobile subscriber base has dipped to 10.95 percent, as on May 2014, from 14.87 per cent in March, 2009.

Revenue from operations of BSNL has dropped 11.67 percent over the past three years. BSNL has been incurring losses for the last five years and it touched Rs 7,085 crore in 2013-14.

This apart, Government has taken measures such as waiver of Rs 1,411 crore government loan to BSNL. It has also accorded financial support to the tune of Rs 6,724.51 crore to BSNL on surrender of Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) spectrum.

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