In the analyst call after Bharti Airtel's financial results a few days ago, its CEO Gopal Vittal spent a substantial amount of time clearing the air on what he said were "misconceptions" about 700 MHz, for which Bharti did not bid, and on its decision to opt for a non-standalone (NSA) 5G network.
The argument for going for an NSA network was simple: The country lacks a mobile device ecosystem for standalone (SA) 5G networks. And the 700 MHz band, Vittal pointed out, only offers coverage especially indoors but does not offer more speed (it's similar to 4G). So its characteristics are similar to the 850 and the 900 MHz bands in which Airtel has enough spectrum already.
Vittal also said the company had adopted a conscious strategy for years of buying spectrum in the mid bands - 1800 and 2100 MHZ to ensure that Airtel can offer high upload speeds that its rivals cannot match. If the telco did not have so much spectrum in these mid-bands it would have had no choice but to buy 700 MHz. So contrary to what many believe, Vittal drove home the point that Airtel's 5G services will be of high quality and 700 MHz provides no magic.
Vittal's spirited response is understandable. Bharti Airtel's main rival, Reliance Jio, surprised the market, including competing telcos, by acquiring 10 MHz in the 700 MHz band at a stiff price tag of ₹40,000 crore. This could be a sign of another market disruption just as Jio did in 4G, according to analysts.
This story is from the August 16, 2022 edition of Business Standard.
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This story is from the August 16, 2022 edition of Business Standard.
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