Bharti Airtel today announced that it has purchased spectrum in key circles in the Spectrum Auction 2024, which concluded on Wednesday. Airtel said it acquired 97 MHz spectrum in the 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, and 2100 MHz frequency bands through the auction for Rs 6,857 crore for a period of 20 years. Out of the total, Bharti Hexacom acquired 15 MHz with an outlay of Rs 1,001 crore.
Also Read - India Spectrum Auction 2024 Starts With 10,522.35 MHz Across 8 Bands
Renewal and Expansion Strategy
Airtel successfully renewed spectrum that was expiring in 2024 and acquired additional spectrum to bolster its mid-band holdings across key circles. With this purchase, Bharti Airtel will continue to enjoy the largest mid-band spectrum pool in the country, the company said.
Impact on User Experience
Airtel highlighted that the spectrum purchase aligns with its strategy to build a large pool of mid-band spectrum to deliver seamless 4G and 5G services across the country.
"Airtel has consistently been at the forefront of introducing disruptive technologies to India. As a result of the use of the mid-band spectrum, customers can enjoy enhanced browsing speeds in addition to improved indoor coverage," Airtel said.
Spectrum Acquired by Airtel
| Sl. No | Circle | Spectrum Acquired (MHz) | ||
| 900 (MHz) | 1800 (MHz) | 2100 (MHz) | ||
| 1 | Assam | 5 | 4 | 5 |
| 2 | Bihar | 7 | 5.2 | |
| 3 | Jammu and Kashmir | 10 | 5 | |
| 4 | North East | 1 | 5 | |
| 5 | Odisha | 5 | 1 | |
| 6 | Rajasthan | 4 | 5 | |
| 7 | Uttar Pradesh East | 5 | 1 | |
| 8 | Uttar Pradesh West | 5 | ||
| 9 | West Bengal | 5 | 3.8 | |
| 10 | Haryana | 5 | ||
| 11 | Kolkata | 5 | ||
| 12 | Punjab | 5 | ||
| Total | 42 | 35 | 20 | |
Also Read: India Spectrum Auction 2024: Details of Spectrum Put To Auction
Commenting on the spectrum acquisition in the auction, Gopal Vittal, MD and CEO 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."
