The optical fibre cable network in India has increased from 10.62 lakh kilometers in 2014 to 38.86 lakh kilometers in 2023. Nevertheless, according to data from the telecom regulator, India's wired broadband penetration is only 20%. TeamLease Services has stated that the third phase of BharatNet, the government's broadband project with a budget of Rs 65,000 crore, is expected to generate 25,000 jobs in the upcoming two-three years.

“The recently launched phase III of BharatNet marks a significant shift in strategy,” said Subburathinam P, chief strategy officer at TeamLease Services. “This phase prioritises last-mile connectivity through innovative solutions such as Wi-Fi hotspots (2–5 per gram panchayat) and fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) services. Targeting 6.25 lakh villages, phase III leverages public-private partnerships (PPP) and advanced technologies to deliver high-speed internet of 100 Mbps or more.”

He mentioned that the implementation of BharatNet will stimulate the creation of jobs in positions like fiber technicians, NOC staff, as well as indirect roles like installation and repair technicians, and customer support professionals.

“Additionally, fiber-sharing agreements with other partners are anticipated to scale up, further enhancing,

In August, BSNL, a government-owned company, initiated the bidding process for BharatNet phase III. Shortly after, HFCL, STL, Polycab, and RVNL revealed that they were the lowest bidders in individual state-wide tenders for middle-mile connectivity.

STL claimed its bid of Rs 2,500 crore was the most cost-effective in Jammu and Kashmir, Polycab stated theirs of Rs 5,649 crore was the most affordable in Goa, Puducherry, and Karnataka, and the HFCL-RVNL consortium reported their bid of Rs 5,000 crore was the lowest in multiple states. The firms are being evaluated financially and technically before the ultimate contracts are granted.