Number of Indian villages without 4G mobile internet drops sharply over four years

The number of villages across India without 4G mobile connectivity has dropped by about three-fourths over a four-year period, falling from 45,180 in 2022 to 11,372. Official data obtained under the Right to Information Act, 2005, shows this progress, which is partly tied to the state-run telecommunications firm BSNL and its 4G saturation project.

Network Reach

The reduction goes beyond that scheme's initial target of covering 24,680 villages, pointing to work done by private telecom operators as well. The Union government has sanctioned the next order of 26,000 sites, and BSNL has used agreements with Vodafone Idea Ltd to support its efforts in 12 or 13 circles.

State Rankings

Odisha has the highest number of villages still without 4G coverage at 1,789, which includes over 300 uninhabited villages. Arunachal Pradesh is second with 1,518 villages without 4G, and about a tenth of those are uninhabited. States like Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh have all cut their unconnected village counts by more than half.

Remaining Gaps

Around 40 lakh people may still live in villages without 4G reception this year, making up roughly 0.25% of India's estimated population. Villages dominated by Scheduled Tribes make up the bulk of this remaining group, accounting for 46% of the population in villages found in the 2011 Census.

Context

Mobile broadband remains the primary way most people access the internet in India, even as cities have broad access to high-speed 5G and wired home broadband. Rural areas have historically lagged behind urban centers in telecommunication infrastructure development.