India's indigenous 4G stack ready for export: What is it?
What's the story
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced the readiness of India's first fully indigenous 4G telecom stack for export. The announcement was made at the India Mobile Congress (IMC). The "4G stack" is essentially a comprehensive set of tools and technologies that power a 4G mobile network, from signal transmission towers to software managing call and data traffic.
Independence
Meet 'Bharat Telecom Stack'
The development of an indigenous 4G stack is a major step toward reducing India's dependence on foreign technology for mobile networks. The new system will allow India to independently manage its networks, improve security, and even export this technology to other countries. The "Bharat Telecom Stack," as it is called, was developed by a consortium of Indian firms and organizations including BSNL, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), the Center for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), and Tejas Networks.
Installation
Coverage expanded to 26,700 villages
The new system has been installed in nearly 97,500 towers across India, covering some 26,700 villages. This means that around 22 million people who previously lacked reliable mobile internet can now access 4G services. The project was completed in about two years and meets international standards for 4G networks. The system is ready for commercial use with successful equipment tests reported so far.
Future-proofing
Towers designed for future upgrade to 5G
Notably, the towers housing the new system are designed to be upgraded to 5G in the future. This means when 5G expands in India, these towers won't need to be replaced. BSNL has already begun limited 4G services in Delhi and plans a wider rollout by the end of 2025. The government has also invested funds for network expansion and additional tower installations.
Global standing
India joins elite group of countries
With the development of the "Bharat Telecom Stack," India has joined an elite group of five countries in the world to have developed a complete 4G stack from scratch. This is a major milestone as it lowers dependence on foreign technology for critical infrastructure, gives India more control over its telecom networks, and opens up avenues for exporting this technology.