Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has made a major technological breakthrough by introducing India’s first SIM-less Quantum 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) service in Hyderabad. This cutting-edge solution promises fibre-like internet speeds through 5G technology, but without the need for a SIM card. The landmark launch took place at BSNL’s Ameerpet Exchange, marking a significant step towards home-grown, next-generation connectivity.
BSNL’s Quantum 5G FWA is designed to offer high-speed internet access using 5G radio technology without the hassle of a physical SIM card. The customer premises equipment (CPE) auto-authenticates via BSNL’s Direct-to-Device platform, delivering seamless internet connectivity to users.
According to BSNL Chairman and Managing Director Shri A. Robert J. Ravi, this service is a showcase of Indian engineering and innovation. “Quantum 5G FWA demonstrates how Indian engineers can create world-class connectivity. It is the first SIM-less, 100% home-grown customised 5G FWA for BSNL,” he said during the launch event.
Hyderabad’s status as a tech-friendly city made it the ideal choice for the first rollout of Quantum 5G FWA. With its strong digital infrastructure and early tech adopters, Hyderabad provides the perfect testing ground for this new technology.
BSNL plans to use the feedback and data from this initial launch to refine the service before expanding it across other major Indian cities.
The Quantum 5G FWA service comes packed with innovative features that set it apart:
SIM-less Architecture: No need for a physical SIM card — the CPE device automatically connects using BSNL’s Direct-to-Device platform.
Atmanirbhar Bharat Initiative: The solution is fully designed and developed by Indian vendors. This includes the core network, RAN (Radio Access Network), and the CPE — ensuring a 100% home-grown product.
Gigabit-Class Speeds: At the Ameerpet Exchange, the service achieved impressive download speeds of 980 Mbps, upload speeds of 140 Mbps, and latency under 10 milliseconds.
Supports Advanced Use Cases: The high-speed, low-latency network is ideal for 4K/8K streaming, cloud gaming, remote work, smart homes, and IoT applications.
Following the successful soft launch in Hyderabad, BSNL plans to expand Quantum 5G FWA to other cities, including:
Bengaluru
Visakhapatnam
Pondicherry
Pune
Gwalior
Chandigarh
This pilot phase will run through September 2025, with wider rollouts planned based on performance and customer feedback.
The rollout strategy uses BSNL’s existing tower grid, which covers nearly 85% of households in Hyderabad. This eliminates the need for trenching or fibre-laying, allowing for fast deployment and self-installation by users.
To attract customers, BSNL has announced competitive introductory plans for Quantum 5G FWA:
₹999/month plan offering speeds of 100 Mbps
₹1499/month plan offering speeds of 300 Mbps
Additionally, BSNL plans to support network slicing through the same 5G standalone core network. This will enable customised service-level agreements (SLAs) for:
MSMEs
Smart manufacturing clusters
Enterprise customers
This controlled launch aims to refine the user experience based on real-world feedback before a nationwide rollout. BSNL’s leadership, Department of Telecommunications dignitaries, and industry partners attended the launch event to signal the importance of this initiative for India’s digital future.
BSNL remains committed to bridging the digital divide, bringing advanced connectivity not just to cities, but also to rural and remote areas.