BSNL and MTNL were granted 3G spectrum well ahead of their private counterparts with a hope that the two PSUs will gain head start and first mover advantage.

But some months down the line, the two operators have failed to generate any kind of significant uptake in the adoption of 3G services. BSNL’s 3G subscriber base stands at 10,733 while that of MTNL is at 902.

The figures were shared by Minister of State for telecom & IT Sachin Pilot in the Rajya Sabha today.

As per the Minister, BSNL has earmarked Rs 2,700 for first phase of 3G network rollout to cover 760 cities while MTNL will invest Rs 300 crore with 7.5 lakh 3G lines to be added in the network in Delhi as well as in Mumbai.