Bharti Airtel has reaffirmed its commitment to nationwide 5G deployment, reporting the addition of approximately 25,000 new sites during the financial year ended March 2025. The telecom major closed the quarter with a 5G customer base of 135 million, reflecting steady momentum in next-generation network adoption.
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Airtel 5G Subscribers and Network
Gopal Vittal, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Bharti Airtel, speaking during the Q4 FY2025 earnings call, highlighted that 5G-enabled devices now constitute 85 percent of all smartphone shipments in the country. He added that Airtel continues to secure a strong share of this growing segment, in line with its strategy to lead the 5G transition.
"We are on track with our 5G expansion, having added about 25,000 new sites in the full year FY2025. We closed the quarter with 135 million 5G customers. 5G devices now represent 85 percent of the total smartphone shipments and we continue to capture our fair share of the 5G device market," said Vittal during the recent QYFY2025 earnings call.
Network Expansion with Focus on Fiber
Network expansion remained a key focus through the year, with the company deploying 19,858 network sites and laying 44,400 kilometers of fiber. Vittal underscored fiber as a strategic priority, noting that nearly 7.2 million new home passes were added, supporting both mobile backhaul and the company's fixed broadband ambitions.
"Network expansion was as planned, with 19,858 network sites and about 44,400 kilometers of fiber that we deployed. Fiber deployment, as I mentioned, remains a strategic priority with accelerated rollouts and almost nearly 7.2 million home passes added," Vittal added.
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Capex to Decline in Future
Looking ahead, Airtel expects a moderation in capital expenditure for fiscal 2026. "...it will certainly trend downwards and the reason I say this is that the rural rollout will substantially slow down. There are a few more areas, particularly in some of our challenger circles where our coverage is low, for example in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. We will continue to do a little bit of radio rollout there. There will be some 5G rollout and so the radio rollout will come down substantially," said Vittal.
"The transport side is a consistent kind of capex that we put in and that will continue," he added, noting that other business verticals within the group will continue to receive their share of investments, though overall capex will trend lower compared to previous years.
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In Q4FY25 Series:
Solarisation of Sites: Airtel Solarises Over 30,000 Network Sites in Major ESG Milestone
Airtel FWA: Airtel 5G FWA Available in Over 2,500 Indian Cities; Prioritises Fiber for Long-Term Broadband Growth
Focus on Broadband: Airtel Prioritises Home Broadband Growth Over Smart Home Adjacent Services
