Annual Report 2024

Connecting India — BharatNet brings the digital revolution to rural communities

Communication infrastructure solutions increase access to opportunities.

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Customer expectations regarding speed, coverage and reach of the mobile network are ever-increasing. And since macrocell sites carry most of the mobile traffic, there is a continuous need for adding, changing and improving the cell sites in your network infrastructure. (Image source: HUBER+SUHNER)

A digital future for all

The goal of flagship government programme ‘Digital India’ is to create a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. The BharatNet project was launched in 2012 to build a national optical fibre network so the whole country can be part of India’s digital revolution, beyond the urban centre. One of the biggest rural telecoms initiatives in the world, BharatNet aims to provide access to broadband or wi-fi for more than 900 million residents. The most crucial part of the project is the so-called ‘last-mile connectivity’, which describes the infrastructure and technology that provide 625,000 villages with broadband connectivity through a 4G mobile network. This is where products and solutions from HUBER+SUHNER are contributing to India’s digital future.

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E-governance has arrived in remote villages, making documents accessible electronically, using biometric data cards (Aadhaar card) (Image source: HUBER+SUHNER)

Made in India

HUBER+SUHNER is supplying vital mobile infrastructure and fibre optics solutions to the project, which are manufactured locally at our Gurgaon facility. Local production capabilities are essential for international companies operating in India, as the government’s ‘Make in India’ policy prioritises domestic production and supply over imported goods. This technology is upgradeable and compatible with the next generation of network equipment, ensuring BharatNet’s longevity. HUBER+SUHNER is also contributing technical expertise to the project, to support the reliable and secure performance of a network that serves the most populated country in the world.

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HUBER+SUHNER employees in the Gurgaon production facility, contributing to the development of the national optical fiber network (Image source: HUBER+SUHNER)

Transforming lives

Getting online opens up new commercial, education and employment opportunities for people in rural areas. Businesses can reach new customers and suppliers, while workers can upskill and students get access to learning resources. Official documents such as birth certificates, passports and proof of residency are now instantly accessible, when previously people had to travel far to apply in person. Improved healthcare is a notable benefit for regions with limited medical infrastructure. Patients can arrange virtual appointments with their nearest practitioner, who in turn can consult colleagues in larger towns on diagnosis and treatment. BharatNet is also keeping citizens safe, since the country’s armed forces are all connected through the network. Those antennas and cables don’t just transmit data: they are bringing a nation closer together.

“We are very proud to contribute to India’s growth and development through the BharatNet project. The team put in a lot of extra work and that, combined with the unmatched solution quality, is helping to make ‘Digital India’ a reality.”

Tarun Gulati, Managing Director India and VP Sales Communication, HUBER+SUHNER
The Universal Service Obligation (USO) Fund was established with fundamental objective of providing access to “Basic” telegraph services to people in remote and rural areas at affordable and reasonable prices. Expanding Mobile Connectivity Nationwide
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