Indian telecom company Bharti Airtel has announced a significant step to boost its 5G services. It has acquired 400 megahertz of the 26GHz spectrum from Adani Data Networks, a branch of Adani Enterprises. This strategic acquisition will help Airtel expand its 5G presence across key Indian regions. The company plans to use the new spectrum to enhance coverage in major urban markets and address high-capacity use cases like Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) and enterprise solutions.
Originally purchased by Adani Data Networks for private enterprise networks, the spectrum remained unused, leading to incurred penalties. This sale offers Airtel a chance to utilize untapped resources to widen its 5G footprint further.
Airtel plans to deploy 100 megahertz of the spectrum in both Gujarat and Mumbai and 50 megahertz each in Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. The terms are subject to conditions including approvals from India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT). Financial specifics of the agreement are not disclosed.
Adani’s initial intent was to build private networks for its enterprise operations, covering sectors like ports, airports, logistics, and energy infrastructure. Despite holding a telecommunications license, Adani Data Networks spoke publicly about not entering the consumer mobile services market. Their inability to fulfill minimum rollout obligations led to penalties, driving them to seek an extension from the DoT.
As Airtel continues its network expansion, its 5G subscriber base reached 120 million by last year. During a recent earnings call, Vice Chairman Gopal Vittal stated that Airtel had stopped investing in 4G capacity, now fully focusing on 5G network growth. Furthermore, Nokia secured a multi-year contract extension with Airtel to provide both 4G and 5G equipment in key Indian cities and states.
Using equipment from Ericsson, Nokia, and Samsung, Airtel is gradually re-farming its mid-band spectrum to accommodate increased traffic demand. This includes the 1.8 GHz, 2.1 GHz, and 2.3 GHz bands across India. By the end of February, India had 469,000 5G base stations and over 250 million active 5G subscribers, marking impressive coverage across the nation. This recent acquisition by Airtel further solidifies its commitment to enhancing the country’s 5G capabilities.