Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel arbitrarily increased tariffs as BSNL uncompetitive in 4G, 5G: Employees’ union

NEW DELHI: India’s top telecom operators Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel have arbitrarily raised their tariffs as Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has become handicapped in competing effectively due to the unavailability of its 4G and 5G mobile services, according to an employees’ union of the government-owned telecom PSU.

“Earlier, due to the competition from BSNL, the private telecom companies were restrained from increasing their tariffs capriciously. However…BSNL has not been able to launch its 4G and 5G services to date, as a result of which it is handicapped from competing with the private operators and thereby restraining their arbitrary tariff hikes,” John Verghese, Acting General Secretary of the BSNL Employees Union (BSNLEU) said in a letter dated July 3, 2024, to union telecom minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.