BSNL SIM Cards and eSIM 2024: a Comprehensive Guide for Tourists

Jessica Taylor

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Latest update: July 2024

This article is aimed at travelers visiting India who want to stay connected during their trip. Choosing between a BSNL SIM card & eSIM can be confusing, especially regarding availability and activation processes. This guide will shed light on how to acquire and activate both options, ensuring a smooth and connected journey in India.

I. Overview about BSNL – What You Need to Know

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is a state-owned telecommunications company in India, offering a wide range of telecom services across the country. So, BSNL is one of the best choice for tourists to buy a local SIM card in India.

Established in the 21st century, it plays a crucial role in India’s telecom landscape, ensuring connectivity even in the most remote regions. Here are some facts about it.

• Founded year: 2000
• Full company name: Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited
• Service: Telecommunications (landline, mobile, internet)
• Subscribers: Over 114M (as of March 2023)
• Coverage: Pan-India, including both urban and rural areas
• Stores and partners: Extensive network of BSNL outlets and partner stores across India
• Customer support: Available through phone, email, online chat, and physical stores
• Awards: Numerous awards over the years, including “Best PSU in Telecommunications” by SCOPE (2020-21) 

II. BSNL coverage in India

BSNL, the state-owned telecom giant of India, boasts a pan-India presence, covering all 22 telecom circles. This translates to coverage in almost all major cities and towns, reaching over 90% of India’s population according to BSNL’s annual report (2022-23) 

Here’s a breakdown of key points regarding BSNL coverage:

• Network Reach:
  • 2G: Covers over 95% of India’s geographical area.
  • 3G: Available in most major cities and towns, reaching over 70% of the population.
  • 4G: Currently covers over 50% of the population, with an ongoing expansion plan aiming to reach 80% by 2025.
• 4G Expansion: The Government of India’s 4G saturation project, with an investment of ₹50,000 crore (US$6.2 billion), aims to bridge the gap in rural connectivity and significantly expand BSNL’s 4G reach, particularly in underserved areas.
• 5G: According to recent reports, BSNL plans to launch 5G services starting in 2025.

While BSNL enjoys a wide footprint, it’s crucial to note that private players might offer stronger connectivity in certain pockets.

III. BSNL speed in India

BSNL recorded the lowest speeds among major operators in India, according to Opensignal’s October 2023 Mobile Network Experience Report. Here are some keynotes about BSNL speed:

• Overall download speed: Lowest among major operators at 3.4 Mbps (compared to Jio’s 52.9 Mbps)
• Overall upload speed: Slowest at 1.2 Mbps
• Video experience: Poor (33.7 points out of 100), indicating frequent issues with streaming 720p video
• Consistency: Last place with a score of 13.6%

In summary, BSNL lags significantly compared to private operators in India due to its considerably lower speeds and inconsistent performance. 

IV. Does BSNL India Have eSIM?

Yes, BSNL does offer eSIM services in India.

To buy tourist eSIMs for India by BSNL, you need to adapt specific requirements like presenting your passport for verification purposes. This process is rather complicated which is not suitable for most travelers.

V. Top BSNL SIM cards for Tourists

► Recommendations: 

• Light User (Occasional calls, few messages, moderate data): BSNL STV 18 (affordable)
• Moderate User (Regular calls, messages, fair data): BSNL STV 75 (unlimited calls)
• Heavy User (Frequent calls, messages, significant data):
  • BSNL STV 147 or 185 (higher data allowance)
  • BSNL STV 399 (largest data, longest validity)

VI. Where can you buy a BSNL SIM card and eSIM?

The 2 main options for acquiring a BSNL connection are a traditional SIM card or a newer eSIM.

1. Where to buy BSNL SIM for India?

• BSNL Customer Service Centers at airports (CSCs): Delhi, Mumbai,…
• BSNL Franchise Stores
• Authorized mobile retailers

2. Where to buy India BSNL eSIM?

According to experienced travelers, it seems to be hard to find eSIM services on BSNL’s official website and the procedure and requirements are also complicated (requiring scanning passport and more), so it is not recommended to buy eSIM for India directly from BSNL.

VII. A Better Alternative to BSNL SIM cards – India eSIM

While Gigago strives to offer a variety of options for travelers heading to India, we currently do not provide BSNL India eSIMs.

However, we encourage you to explore the convenient option of purchasing an eSIM from other providers or retailers before your trip. Buying in advance can streamline your arrival process, as you may encounter registration steps requiring your passport when buying locally.

For incredible value and coverage, Gigago offers a range of Jio data packages directly from the network.

Here are the steps to buy an India Jio eSIM on Gigago:

1. On the home page of Gigago, search for India eSIM or visit directly the Gigago India eSIM page
2. Choose the plan that fits your need, fill the required information and make payment
3. Receive eSIM profile through your registered email
4. Scan QR code to install the eSIM on your phone
5. After arriving in India, the eSIM is automatically activate when being connected to the supported network(s).

In details, Gigago has various data plans, starting at 3GB for 30 days at $14.50 . The cool thing about Gigago’s India eSIM plans is they range from $14.50 – $29.90 , so there’s an option for everyone, no matter how much data you need or how long you’ll be in India.

VIII. FAQs about BSNL SIM Card/eSIM in India

To sum it up, getting and setting up a BSNL SIM card & eSIM in India is a breeze and can step up your connectivity game. With user-friendly steps, you can tap into BSNL’s wide network effortlessly. 

Whether you go for the traditional SIM card or the tech-savvy eSIM, BSNL makes sure the switch is smooth, keeping you connected hassle-free.