Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), the state-owned telecom operator, has reported a net profit of Rs 280 crore for the quarter ending March 31, 2025.
This marks the company's second consecutive profitable quarter after nearly two decades of financial losses.
The result stands in contrast to the Rs 849 crore loss registered in the same quarter a year earlier. This achievement follows a Rs 262 crore profit in the third quarter of FY25, which was BSNL's first quarterly profit since 2007, according to a Times of India report.
As reported by Business Standard, for the full fiscal year FY24, BSNL narrowed its net loss to Rs 5,371 crore from Rs 8,161 crore in FY23, reflecting an improvement in its financial health.
The company's Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA) rose to Rs 2,164 crore in FY24, a 38.8 per cent increase from the previous year, as per The Economic Times report.
The turnaround is attributed to network expansion, cost optimisation, and a focus on customer-centric service improvements.
BSNL's mobility services revenue grew by 15 per cent year-on-year, while fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) and leased line services revenue increased by 18 per cent and 14 per cent.
According to a Times of India report, the government has played a crucial role in BSNL's revival, infusing around Rs 3.22 lakh crore into BSNL and MTNL through three revival packages since 2019.
These packages included funding for the rollout of 4G services, spectrum allocation, and capital infusion.
BSNL has been enhancing customer offerings with services such as National WiFi Roaming, BiTV (free entertainment for mobile users), IFTV (for FTTH customers), and India's first private 5G connectivity for mining.
The company is now focused on a nationwide 4G rollout, with 75,000 out of 1,00,000 planned towers already installed and close to 60,000 commissioned.
While challenges remain, including competition from private players and the need for continued investment in infrastructure, BSNL's recent performance indicates a positive trajectory.
According to The Economic Times, the company's focus on innovation, cost control, and customer satisfaction positions it well for sustained profitability in the coming years.
