MP Police drop BSNL, shift to Airtel for better network
The Madhya Pradesh Police has initiated a major shift in its internal communication system by deciding to discontinue the use of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) SIM cards and migrate all official connections to Airtel.
This marks the end of nearly four decades of reliance on BSNL’s network, which had long served as the backbone of communication for police personnel across the state. However, persistent network issues, frequent call drops, and poor data services, especially in remote and rural areas, have compelled the police force to make this long-pending change.
The decision reflects growing frustration among officials over BSNL’s inability to match the evolving demands of modern policing.
Despite being a state-owned telecom service provider, BSNL consistently lagged behind private players in terms of network expansion and service upgrades. Over the past several decades, successive Central Governments failed to revive or significantly improve BSNL’s infrastructure and performance.
As a result, even essential services like those used by law enforcement agencies continued to suffer from outdated technology and unreliable connectivity. This systemic neglect eventually pushed the Madhya Pradesh Police to explore more efficient alternative.
On June 24, the Police Telecom Headquarters in Bhopal, under the direction of SSP Wireless Vijay Kumar Khatri, issued a formal order instructing all police units—including district police, battalions, fire services, and training schools—to port their BSNL numbers to Airtel.
The deadline for completing the process had been set for June 28. Officers have been asked to initiate porting by sending a ‘PORT <mobile number>’ message to 1900, followed by a ?10 recharge. Once the porting is successful, the details must be recorded in an Excel sheet and sent to the headquarters via email. A copy of the directive was also shared with Airtel’s local representative to ensure logistical support and coordination.
This transition is expected to improve communication efficiency within the police force, especially during emergencies, operations in sensitive areas and coordination between various units. Officials believe that Airtel’s superior network coverage and faster data services will enhance the responsiveness and effectiveness of the police.
The move also underscores the growing dependence on private telecom providers for critical public services, due to the continued underperformance of state-run entities like BSNL.
A senior officer in the ranking of Addl DG told that the transition period is still on and in a couple of days, all numbers will be ported to Airtel.
