Department of Posts, BSNL ink pact for SIM sales, mobile recharge services

The Department of Posts (DoP) and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding to expand the state-owned telecom company's mobile connectivity reach across the country.

The postal department will leverage its vast network of over 1.65 lakh post offices for sale of BSNL SIM cards and mobile recharge services across the country, an official release said.

The reach of India Post, which touches almost every village and town in India, will serve as a powerful last-mile channel for BSNL to enhance its presence in both urban and rural geographies, it added.

"This initiative aims to make BSNL's telecom services more accessible and affordable, particularly for citizens in the remotest parts of the country who often struggle with limited connectivity," according to the release.

By enabling Post Offices as service points, the partnership seeks to bridge the digital divide, empower rural households with mobile services, and advance the broader goals of Digital India, financial inclusion, and socio-economic development. The proof of concept was implemented in Assam, where it has already shown significant success, demonstrating its potential as a scalable model for nationwide rollout, the release noted.

Through this collaboration, post offices will act as Points of Sale (PoS) for BSNL, mobile SIM sale and for mobile recharges. BSNL will provide SIM stock and training, while DoP will onboard new customers for BSNL and facilitate transactions in a standardised and secure manner, the release added.