As the State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) gets set to launch 4G and ultimately 5G services, the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) is firing on all cylinders to meet the target of erecting one-lakh towers and mini data centres to meet the requirements for the services.

Apart from that, C-DOT is also working on cybersecurity mechanisms with Defence and 4G (LTE) for Railways where C-DOT has installed LTE router in locomotives. Multiple drive tests have been done with smartphone inside the passenger trains and LTE Cab router.

“The biggest achievement is that the 4G core for BSNL has been designed, developed and deployed by us in BSNL network. It is 100 per cent indigenous and there are 40,000 sites operational now across India. Zonal core in each zone and circle core in each circle are in operation. There are four zones where they are operational -- North (Chandigarh), South (Trichy), East (Kolkata) and West (Pune). There are mini data centres in each circle too,” Rajkumar Upadhyay, CEO and Chairman, C-DOT told businessline.

C-DOT along with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Tejas Networks have collaborated to establish a 4G network for BSNL successfully, and according to sources another 10,000 sites will be operational soon.

According to DoT’s annual report 2023-24 recently, it has mentioned that C-DOT’s key project achievements also include 5G Core – an indigenous end-to-end 5G solution consisting of 5G standalone (SA) core, along with indigenously developed BharatRAN2. It has also signed agreement with second consortium consisting of Lekha Wireless, Sooktha, Resonous and Signaltron for development of disaggregated 5G Bharat RAN (radio access network) solution.

Last month, Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia inaugurated 5G O-RAN testing lab that will benefit the start-ups, academia and the industry to test various components of 5G open RAN system developed by C-DOT. He also witnessed a 5G call using open RAN based 5G radio developed by C-DOT in Bengaluru campus. The Lab will facilitate development of a complete Indian end-end 5G ecosystem in the areas of core, access, transport, cloud, orchestration and security.

“C-DOT has also developed products on quantum communications, one of the systems from Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to National Informatics Centre (NIC) to carry live traffic using quantum key distribution system. Our quantum systems are open to detection of breach with a reward of ₹10 lakh per breach and many companies tried to breach also (as tests) but reward money is yet to go out,” Upadhyay informed.

For Defence, Upadhyay said C-DOT has made Military grade quantum encryptors also which has physical as well as electronic safety.

“No one can breach them. Another work we have done is the implementation of Disaster management for NDMA and the system is operational across 36 States/ UTs. Cell Broadcast technology that allows dissemination of alert message in near real time during calamity or emergency is under implementation,” he added.

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