Wireless Networks

India’s BSNL plans private 5G network for Assam refinery

India’s BSNL plans private 5G network for Assam refinery

Indian state-owned operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL), an oil and gas refinery in Assam in northeastern India, have signed what they call a landmark memorandum of understanding (MoU) relating to private network provision.

The signing took place during an evert called the Industry 4.0 Workshop for CPSEs organised under the aegis of the Ministry of Finance in Guwahati, the largest city in Assam.

Under this MoU, BSNL and NRL will collaborate to deploy India’s first 5G captive non-public network (CNPN) within the refinery sector, ushering in what the partners call a new era of secure, ultra-reliable, and real-time industrial connectivity. They add that this initiative is a pioneering step in leveraging indigenous 5G infrastructure for mission-critical operations.

The Numaligarh Refinery is owned by Numaligarh Refinery Limited, a joint venture between Bharat Petroleum, Oil India and the Goverment of Assam.

CMD NRL states that the integration of 5G CNPN will not only enhance operational efficiency and cybersecurity but also enable transformative technologies such as AR/VR-based training, digital twins, and real-time IoT applications.

This partnership between BSNL and NRL is expected to set the stage for replicable models across other industrial sectors, reinforcing the government of India’s vision for a digitally empowered and self-reliant country.

This is something of a first for India – and certainly in oil and gas, although the Indian government has recently said that it plans to set aside spectrum for CNPNs. However, this concept is opposed by the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), which apparently feels that allocating spectrum to industry verticals for private networks isn’t justified.



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