Gopal Vittal, the Managing Director and CEO of Bharti Airtel shed light on the remarkable advantages of Airtel’s 5G Plus Network and the strategic decisions that have propelled the company forward in the Fourth Quarter Ended March 31, 2023 Earnings Webinar. Let’s look at some of the crucial points in this story.
Airtel’s 5G Plus Network and Environmental Benefits
One of the features of Airtel’s 5G Plus Network is its environmentally friendly nature. Airtel 5G plus network is kinder on the environment because of its special power reduction solutions. Gopal Vittal emphasized the importance of sustainability and highlighted how Airtel’s smart investments and focus on user experience led them to stay away from the expensive 700 MHz band.
Airtel Mid Band Spectrum and 5G NSA
Instead, Airtel strengthened its mid-band holdings over a four-year period and opted for the Non-Standalone (NSA) architecture of 5G. This decision has already yielded benefits such as enhanced coverage, lower capital expenditure, reduced carbon footprint, and an improved user experience.
While Airtel’s focus on NSA architecture remains steadfast, they are also prepared for the Standalone (SA) architecture, which caters to enterprise requirements. “Airtel is ready with 5G SA for Enterprises. We already had it in the environment,” said Gopal. Presently, Airtel’s 5G network covers over 3,500 cities and towns out of the 7,000 across India, with an addition of nearly 35 to 40 cities each day. The company aims to conclude urban coverage and expand into key rural areas by the end of the year.
Airtel’s primary objective is to win cities by leveraging the full power of the Airtel Network, channels, and digital tools. Gopal Vittal elaborated on their postpaid strategy, stating that 5G is the pivotal factor driving postpaid performance. Out of Airtel’s 335 million users, almost 32 million already possess a 5G handset.
Gopal said 80 percent of the market is in 150 cities. To accelerate their postpaid user base, Airtel introduced the 599 plan specifically designed for nuclear families, which has gained considerable traction. TelecomTalk has already highlighted the Airtel 599 Plan benefits in an earlier story, link below.
In light of the launch and rapid expansion of 5G, Airtel has stopped all capacity investments in 4G due to a significant traffic offload of up to 30 percent in areas where 5G has been deployed. Furthermore, wireless capital expenditure on 5G is expected to decrease as Airtel completes urban coverage this year, focusing on reaching top villages and rural areas.
Airtel Not Competing on Number of Sites
Gopal Vittal clarified that Airtel is not competing to rapidly increase the number of sites. Their technology and NSA architecture provide better coverage, evident in their existing network. By strategically placing a limited number of sites, Airtel ensures seamless 5G connectivity. The mid-band spectrum, specifically the 3.5 GHz uplink, enables signals to traverse further on the downlink, resulting in improved coverage.
As an example, Gopal highlighted an experience. “About three quarters ago that from my house in Gurgaon to the office, we have actually 23 sites in that stretch, and I was surprised early on to find that six sites that we had put were giving almost seamless coverage on 5G from what was needed on 4G. So NSA gives you better coverage,” he shared.
Airtel holds abundant mid-band spectrum, including the 2300 MHz spectrum, which can gradually be repurposed or refarmed for 5G deployment. Although the rollout may vary across cities, Gopal Vittal mentioned that Delhi and Mumbai are likely to experience faster adoption of the SA architecture.
Bharti Airtel’s approach to 5G deployment in a large geography and country like India, commitment to user experience, and strategic investments are propelling them to the forefront of India’s digital landscape. With a focus on sustainability and coverage, Airtel aims to deliver the full potential of its 5G Network to customers across the nation.
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