Bharti Airtel (Airtel) ended the December (Q3FY25) quarter with a 5G customer base of 120 million as it continued its planned 5G coverage expansion. The second-largest Indian telco attributed its growing 5G user base to increasing 5G smartphone shipments, which now account for over 80 percent of overall smartphone shipments. "We continue to get our fair share from growing 5G handset adoption," said Bharti Airtel's Vice Chairman and Managing Director (MD), Gopal Vittal, during the company's Q3FY25 earnings call.
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Expansion of Fixed Wireless Access
In the Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) segment, which provides wireless broadband services via Airtel's 5G network, the company expanded its coverage during the quarter and is now live in over 2,000 cities.
Airtel announced on February 12 that it had awarded a contract to Nokia and Qualcomm to support the expansion of 5G FWA and Wi-Fi solutions, aiming to provide high-speed internet access to millions across India. Under this partnership, Nokia will supply Airtel with its 5G FWA outdoor gateway receiver and Wi-Fi 6 access points, utilizing Qualcomm's Modem-RF and Wi-Fi 6 chipsets.
FWA, a Key 5G Application
At the time of the announcement, Airtel highlighted that the deployment of fixed wireless broadband via 5G networks is a key application of 5G technology in India, particularly given the country's low fiber penetration and high demand for digital services.
Airtel plans to leverage Nokia's FastMile 5G outdoor receivers, designed for multi-dwelling units and capable of serving two households simultaneously, thereby reducing connection costs. These receivers feature high-gain antennas that enhance broadband access over extended distances while efficiently managing radio resources. Additionally, the FastMile 5G outdoor receiver utilizes Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) technology, allowing for easy installation on various surfaces such as walls, balconies, or poles.
Furthermore, Airtel said it will implement Nokia's Wi-Fi 6 access point in residences to enhance the in-home experience. This solution includes intelligent mesh capabilities and self-optimizing network features. Nokia's 5G FWA and Wi-Fi 6 access point devices will be manufactured in India and packaged in fully recyclable materials.
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No More Investments in 4G
During the call, Vittal confirmed that Airtel is no longer investing in 4G capacity and is solely focused on expanding its 5G network. Vittal said that with the completion of major rollouts, the company is no longer making further investments in 4G capacity. Instead, it is adding more 5G radios as it expands and accommodates more devices.
"With the ceasing of the big rollouts that we saw, we are not putting any investments in 4G capacity all we are doing is few more 5G radios as we expand and see more devices coming in. The places where capex continues to be deployed-one of the big components is transport," Vittal added.
Focus on Transport Network Infrastructure
Airtel emphasized the importance of building a robust backbone network to support growing data capacities and network demands. "Developing a solid backbone is crucial because this will be required for all our capacities, whether it is broadband, B2B or the mobile business. The core network tends to be a small component of the capex and then there are other places where we deploy capital," Vittal explained.
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Airtel's Customer Base
Airtel reported an overall customer base of approximately 414 million in India, adding 6.5 million smartphone users during the quarter. The company's smartphone market share improved, with an addition of 25.2 million users, marking a 10.3 percent year-on-year increase.
As a result, Bharti Airtel reported an average revenue per user (ARPU) of Rs 245 in Q3FY25, up from Rs 208 in Q3FY24, the highest in the industry. The number of smartphone customers using 4G and 5G services stood at 270.2 million.
