Bharti Airtel has announced the acquisition of spectrum in key circles during the Spectrum Auction 2024, which concluded on Wednesday. Airtel secured 97 MHz of spectrum in the 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, and 2100 MHz frequency bands for a total of Rs 6,857 crore for a period of 20 years. Additionally, Bharti Hexacom acquired 15 MHz of this spectrum with an outlay of Rs 1,001 crore.
Renewal and Expansion Strategy
Airtel successfully renewed spectrum licenses that were set to expire in 2024 and acquired additional spectrum to strengthen its mid-band holdings across key circles. This strategic purchase ensures that Bharti Airtel will maintain the largest mid-band spectrum pool in the country.
Impact on User Experience
Airtel emphasized that this spectrum acquisition is part of its strategy to build a robust mid-band spectrum pool, enabling the delivery of seamless 4G and 5G services nationwide.
“Airtel has consistently led the way in introducing innovative technologies to India. With the utilization of mid-band spectrum, customers will benefit from enhanced browsing speeds and improved indoor coverage,” the company stated.
Spectrum Acquired by Airtel
– Assam: 5 MHz in the 900 MHz band, 4 MHz in the 1800 MHz band, and 5 MHz in the 2100 MHz band.
– Bihar: 7 MHz in the 900 MHz band and 5.2 MHz in the 1800 MHz band.
– Jammu and Kashmir: 10 MHz in the 900 MHz band and 5 MHz in the 2100 MHz band.
– North East: 1 MHz in the 900 MHz band and 5 MHz in the 2100 MHz band.
– Odisha: 5 MHz in the 900 MHz band and 1 MHz in the 1800 MHz band.
– Rajasthan: 4 MHz in the 900 MHz band and 5 MHz in the 1800 MHz band.
– Uttar Pradesh East: 5 MHz in the 900 MHz band and 1 MHz in the 1800 MHz band.
– Uttar Pradesh West: 5 MHz in the 2100 MHz band.
– West Bengal: 5 MHz in the 900 MHz band and 3.8 MHz in the 1800 MHz band.
– Haryana: 5 MHz in the 1800 MHz band.
– Kolkata: 5 MHz in the 1800 MHz band.
– Punjab: 5 MHz in the 1800 MHz band.
In total, the operator acquired 42 MHz of spectrum in the 900 MHz band, 35 MHz in the 1800 MHz band, and 20 MHz in the 2100 MHz band. This strategic allocation is expected to enhance the operator’s service offerings and improve network performance across these regions.
Commenting on the spectrum acquisition, Gopal Vittal, MD and CEO of Bharti Airtel, said, “Airtel continues to judiciously acquire the right amount of spectrum to deliver the best possible experience to our customers. In this auction, we have bolstered our sub-gigahertz and mid-band holdings, which will significantly improve our coverage, especially indoors.”
