Bharti Airtel to raise mobile services rates in December

Telecom operator Bharti Airtel on Monday said it will start raising rates for services in December to make business viable.

The telecom sector is highly capital intensive with fast changing technology cycles that require continuing investments and therefore, extremely important that the industry remains viable to support the vision of Digital India, it said.

"Accordingly, Airtel will appropriately increase price offerings in the month beginning December," it said in a statement.

Bharti Airtel, which has been hit hard by the Supreme Court ruling on statutory dues, last week posted highest ever loss of Rs 23,045 crore in the three months ended September.

The company also said that it understands that telecom regulator Trai is likely to initiate a consultation for bringing rationality in pricing in the Indian mobile sector, which has been operating at prices that have been eroding its viability.