Mumbai – Tata Communications said on Wednesday it has deployed its digital infrastructure solutions to support Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited’s (BSNL) nationwide launch of eSIM services for mobile subscribers across India.
The company said its eSIM subscription management platform, delivered through its subsidiary Tata Communications Collaboration Services Private Ltd, is enabling BSNL to provide eSIM provisioning for users across the country.
BSNL first announced eSIM services in August 2025, beginning with a limited rollout in Tamil Nadu. The operator has since expanded the service nationwide, aiming to provide seamless connectivity to its millions of subscribers.
The platform allows remote provisioning of 2G, 3G and 4G connectivity via a QR code, eliminating the need for a physical SIM. Users with dual-SIM devices can use an eSIM alongside a physical SIM, enabling secure connectivity with local operators while travelling abroad.
While BSNL is a relatively late entrant in the eSIM market, other major Indian telecom operators such as Airtel and Reliance Jio have been offering eSIM services since 2021, and Vodafone Idea introduced eSIMs in 2022. The operators have more established infrastructure and larger user bases for eSIM adoption, giving them an early advantage.
The platform is initially focused on consumers, but Tata Communications said it is designed to scale for enterprise applications, including Internet of Things services.
A.S. Lakshminarayanan, managing director and CEO of Tata Communications, said the partnership “supports India’s shift towards next-generation connectivity” and contributes to building “a more connected and resilient infrastructure.”
BSNL CMD Robert Ravi, described the launch as a “strategic advancement in our national telecom capabilities” and said it improves “the flexibility, security and efficiency of mobile services for citizens across India.”
BSNL, a state-run telecom operator, serves millions of mobile users across India. The company has recently launched its indigenous 4G services, but network performance has remained a challenge.
According to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), BSNL’s 4G download speeds are significantly lower than its competitors. In Etawah, for example, BSNL recorded an average download speed of 5.50 Mbps, compared with 34.91 Mbps for Reliance Jio and 36.88 Mbps for Airtel.
A recent drive test in Hubballi showed similar results, with BSNL’s 4G download speed at 1.72 Mbps, while Airtel and Jio recorded 53.39 Mbps and 31.54 Mbps respectively.
These figures indicate that despite ongoing efforts to expand and modernise its network, BSNL continues to lag behind private sector operators in terms of performance.
