BSNL waves goodbye to landlines in Phagwara

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) has officially shut down all its urban and rural landline telephone exchanges in Phagwara and surrounding areas, marking the end of traditional landline services in the region. This move is in line with the BSNL’s ongoing transition to Fibre to the Home (FTTH) technology, driven by the steady decline in landline subscribers.

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Confirming the development, the Sub-Divisional Officer (Telephones) of Phagwara, Tilak Raj, stated that the closure took effect as per directives from the higher authorities. “The BSNL is now focusing on expanding its FTTH network and encouraging customers to switch from landline services to high-speed fibre connections,” he said.

The decision affects all 13 telephone exchanges in Phagwara, including Phagwara city and 12 rural exchanges in villages such as Rampur Sunrra, Rihana-Jattan, Panchhat, Chaheru, Khurampur, Bhanoki, Sukhchain Nagar, Chahal Nagar, Hadiabad, Ranipur, Sangatpur and Wahid. Reports indicate that similar closures have occurred in Goraya, Phillaur, Nurmahal and Nakodar.

Once serving around 4,000 landline users, Phagwara now has fewer than 300 active landline connections, rendering maintenance and operational costs unsustainable. Notably, the Phagwara Telephone Exchange no longer has linemen available for service or repairs.

BSNL is actively promoting its FTTH services, which provide high-speed broadband and IP TV services. The company has introduced an IP TV platform, accessible via the Skypro app on smart Android TVs, offering users a range of television programmes over the Internet.

Meanwhile, BSNL employees continue to demand a long-overdue revision of their pay scales, which have remained unchanged since January 1, 2017. The workforce has voiced concerns over delays in financial restructuring, even as the company shifts towards digital infrastructure.

To mitigate financial losses, BSNL has rented out a part of the Phagwara Telephone Exchange building to the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), which now operates on the first floor.

The shutdown of BSNL’s landline services marks a significant shift in its operational priorities, as the company pivots towards modern fibre-based communication solutions. While this transition signals technological progress, it also marks the end of a long-standing mode of communication that once connected thousands of residents in Phagwara and nearby areas.