BSNL is on the path of profitability and customer satisfaction as it has for the first time after 18 years recorded a net profit of Rs 2.62 billion in the October-December quarter and added 5.5 million users in the last six months, Minister of Communications and Development of North Eastern Region, Jyotiraditya Scindia, informed the Rajya Sabha. In the October-December quarter of 2023-24, there was a loss of Rs 12.62 billion, he said.
The minister said the BSNL topline in the last October-December quarter has grown by 9 per cent and “we have squeezed on our cost” by close to 18 per cent and that has led to the EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation) multiplying three times during the period. During this period, the company recorded an operating profit of Rs 15 billion, he added.
Replying to supplementaries during question hour, the minister said, efforts are on to bring the public sector telco back to profitability and improve its customer base. The prime minister has made it clear that when BSNL rolls out its 5G network, it will use only swadeshi equipment, Scindia added.
