Nationwide 5G radio count crosses the 450,000 mark, shows DoT data

Officials said the 5-lakh mark would be optimal for nationwide 5G coverage

The number of 5G radios or base transceiver stations (BTS) installed nationwide has crossed the 450,000 mark, Department of Telecommunications (DoT) data shows. A BTS is a fixed radio transceiver in any mobile network, most often in the form of a tower. However, new 5G radios are often installed on existing tower infrastructure.

This milestone was reached at the end of July, 22 months after 5G services began in October 2022. DoT officials said the 500,000 mark is currently considered optimal for nationwide 5G coverage but will need to increase going forward. The pace of BTS deployment has fluctuated in recent months but has been on a declining path. In July, 3,346 deployments took place, down from a high of 9,733 in March.

Officials at both telecom operators currently racing for 5G dominance, Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, have said they are now entering a phase of consolidation, with most tower installations already completed.

While 5G signals now span all states and union territories, they have yet to reach about 38 of India's 788 districts. Jio has rolled out 5G in more than 7,764 cities, while rival Airtel last reported being present in 5,000 towns in October last year. The government has stated that 5G has reached more than 8,000 cities.

States with highest BTS count
States with highest BTS count	Installed BTS
Uttar Pradesh	50752
Maharashtra	45971
Tamil Nadu	34726
Gujarat	30851
Karnataka	30214
Total across India	4,52,055
Source : DoT

BTS additions are coming down
Month	No.of BTS added
January	7631
February	6142
March	9733
April	6696
May	3584
June	2709
July	3346
Total in 2024 so far	39,841
Total in 2023	3,58,624
Total in 2022	53,590
Total in India	4,52,055