NewKerala.com

India Boasts World's Lowest Data Costs, Highest Usage: Scindia

Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia announced that India now has the world's lowest data costs and highest data usage, driven by robust digital infrastructure. The 4G network is expected to cover every village by June 2024, while 5G services have been rolled out in all states and are available in 99.9% of districts. Significant infrastructure deployment includes over 5 lakh 5G Base Transceiver Stations installed across the country. The government has initiated several projects like BharatNet and 4G saturation schemes to improve connectivity and reduce call drops in underserved areas.

Key Points: India's Lowest Data Costs & Highest Usage, Says Scindia

  • Lowest global data costs
  • Highest data usage worldwide
  • 4G to reach every village by June
  • 5G in 99.9% of districts
  • Over 5 lakh 5G BTS installed
2 min read

India has world's lowest data costs, highest data usage: Scindia

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia announces India leads in affordable data and usage, with 4G/5G expansion and digital infrastructure growth.

"World's lowest data costs, world's leading data usage India's digital revolution led by PM Narendra Modi is truly built for its people - Jyotiraditya Scindia"

New Delhi, Jan 17

Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Saturday said that India now has world's lowest data costs and highest data usage, driven by robust digital infrastructure.

There are more than 120 crore mobile users in the country and the 4G network is expected to reach every village by June this year.

"World's lowest data costs, world's leading data usage India's digital revolution led by PM Narendra Modi is truly built for its people," the minister posted on X social media platform.

BSNL has installed a total of 97,068 4G sites, and 93,511 sites are 'On-Air' (till October 31, 2025). The state-run telecom operation aims to upgrade all 4G towers to 5G within the next few months.

Meanwhile, the 5G services have been rolled out in all states and union territories (UTs) across the country and presently, these are available in 99.9 per cent of the districts. As on October 31, telecom service providers (TSPs) have installed 5.08 lakh 5G Base Transceiver Stations (BTSs) across rural and urban area of the country.

More than 31 lakh Base Transceiver Stations (BTSs) have been installed across the country. To reduce call drops and improve internet connectivity in underserved areas, the government has taken several initiatives, like BharatNet project for providing broadband connectivity in Gram Panchayats (GPs) and villages, scheme for providing mobile services in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas and in Aspirational Districts, 4G Saturation scheme to provide 4G mobile coverage in all uncovered villages and launch of GatiShakti Sanchar portal and RoW (Right of Way) Rules.

Meanwhile, the telecom infrastructure is being deployed by private TSPs as well as state-led service providers.

According to Scindia, technology, spectrum, devices, applications and sustainability verticals must align seamlessly for innovations to mature and scale. The minister recently said that spectrum policy will be central to India's 6G strategy and noted that India has already undertaken significant spectrum refarming, with more planned ahead.

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Great achievement, but the focus now must be on quality. In my village, the 4G signal is still very weak. Low cost is useless if the data speed is poor. Hope the 4G saturation scheme fixes this for all uncovered areas soon.
A
Arjun K
The push for 5G and planning for 6G is impressive. However, as a tech professional, I hope the spectrum policy also ensures a level playing field for private players and encourages real innovation, not just infrastructure rollout.
S
Sarah B
Visiting from the US, I was stunned by how cheap and accessible data is here. My relatives in a small town video call daily. It's bridging the urban-rural gap in a way I haven't seen elsewhere.
K
Karthik V
Jio truly started a revolution. Now with BSNL also rolling out 4G aggressively, competition will benefit everyone. Hoping the upgrade to 5G is smooth. BharatNet for villages is a crucial project for digital inclusion.
M
Meera T
As a teacher, I've seen firsthand how affordable data has enabled online learning for my students, especially during the pandemic. This isn't just about connectivity; it's about empowering future generations. ❤️

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50