5g Spectrum

Airtel to acquire 400 MHz spectrum from Adani Enterprises in 5G boost

Adani Data Networks secured the right to use 400 MHz of spectrum in the 26 GHz millimetre wave band in August 2022. However, the company never rolled out its 5G services

Private telcos publish 5G, 4G, 2G network coverage maps as per Trai order

Private telecom operators Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea have published 5G, 4G and 2G network coverage maps in compliance with sector regulator Trai order, while public sector firms BSNL and MTNL are yet to publish it. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) in a revised regulation on service quality norms for landline, mobile and broadband in August 2024, had mandated telecom operators to publish service-wise geospatial coverage maps on their websites on where wireless voice or wireless broadband service is available for subscription by consumers. "In a significant move to enhance transparency and empower mobile subscribers, Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) have published mobile network coverage maps on their websites, as per the mandate given by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)," the regulator said in a statement. As per the details shared by Trai, Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea have published the coverage, while state-run BSN

'Timely support, will offer relief': Citi on VIL dues to equity conversion

The government's decision to convert Rs 36,950 crore dues of Vodafone Idea (VIL) into equity is a "major" and "timely" display of support that will offer significant cash flow relief to the telco in the next three years and help it complete long-delayed bank debt raise, Citi said on Monday. The move also lifts concerns on tower companies like Indus Towers. "Overall, we view this as a major display of support by the government in a very timely manner, which should provide significant cash flow relief to VIL in the next 3 years and help it complete its bank debt raise," the brokerage said in its latest report. Throwing a lifeline to the troubled telecom operator, the government has decided to convert Rs 36,950 crore of VIL's outstanding spectrum auction dues into equity, under the provisions of the September 2021 telecom reforms package. The government shareholding in VIL will correspondingly increase to 48.99 per cent from 22.6 per cent. VIL promoters will, however, continue to have

Vodafone Idea explores partnership with Musk's Starlink after Airtel, Jio

Vodafone Idea plans to deploy 75,000 5G sites in 17 regions over three years, upgrading 10,000 towers with 900 MHz spectrum and has added 11,000 new towers in the past nine months

Vodafone Idea share gains 5% on rolling out 5G services in Mumbai; details

The uptick in the Vodafone Idea share price came after the company launched its 5G services in Mumbai

Airtel, Reliance Jio scale back 5G expansion amid lower network investment

The quarterly addition of 5G sites in India has dropped sharply, with Jio and Airtel slowing deployments due to reduced capex, impacting telecom infrastructure firms

Govt to address return on 5G investments, pressure on spectrum to rise

The government is looking at addressing challenges related to lack of returns on 5G investments and at the same time need for expanding telecom infrastructure arising out of increase in data usage, a senior official said on Friday. During a panel discussion at ICRIER Prosus Centre for Internet and Digital Economy event, telecom secretary Neeraj Mittal said that the median data speed in India has increased from about 99-100 megabit per second (mbps) in September to 151 mbps and on an average an individual consumes about 29 gigabytes of data every month. He said that most people are consuming data for the purpose of entertainment which means that there is a need to continuously augment telecom infrastructure. "In terms of challenges, we are going to see a lot of pressure on spectrum, as the data flow increases, we have to find new spectrum for mobile usage and broadband. A lot of capex will be required as we move from 5G to 6G. Elsewhere use of 5G and providing them returns because we

Ericsson to deploy gear for Bharti Airtel's transition to standalone 5G

Airtel is expected to soon move to 5G SA for fixed wireless access service

By end of 2026, entire country will operate exclusively on 5G: Piyush Goyal

Union Minister highlights rapid advancements in telecom, infrastructure, and public welfare, positioning India as a global leader in tech and development

Trai recommends opening up key 5G spectrum band for upcoming auctions

The 37-40 GHz spectrum band is ideal for reaching peak 5G speeds in high-density urban areas

Adani Group under DoT scanner on delayed 5G rollout, may surrender spectrum

Adani Data Networks acquired 400 MHz in the 26 GHz band for Rs 212 crore during the July 2022 spectrum auctions, but has yet to announce any timeline for its 5G service launch

Telecom spectrum in 6-Ghz band key to avoid 5G radio wave crunch: COAI

Non-allocation of telecom spectrum in 6-Ghz band could lead to a radio wave crunch for high-speed 5G services, a key growth driver for the country's digital economy and development of emerging technologies specially artificial intelligence, industry body COAI said on Tuesday. India needs an additional 2 giga hertz of mid-band spectrum to meet the international standard of 'IMT-2020' user experience to ensure data rates of 100 megabit per second (mbps) on downlink and 50 mbps on uplink in densely-populated cities, COAI Director General S P Kochhar told PTI, citing global telecom industry GSMA. "While the government is considering vacating the spectrum in C-band, i.e., 3,670-4,000 MHz for 5G/6G use, it may not be enough to reach the required 2 GHz spectrum for IMT (5G/6G) in mid-band. Therefore, we want to stress on the fact that it is essential that the most optimal allocation of the 1,200 MHz available in the 6 GHz band is done for mobile communications in India, to get this critical

Vodafone Idea planning phased 5G rollout with new tariff plans: CEO Moondra

Vodafone Idea announces plans for phased 5G rollout in 75 cities, offering tariffs reportedly 15% lower than market rates to boost customer acquisition

How Vodafone Idea's 5G launch in March could shake up telecom pricing

Vodafone Idea is set to launch 5G services with competitive pricing to challenge Jio and Airtel. It has finalised $3.6 billion worth of contract to enhance 4G network and deploy 5G infrastructure

Trai recommends additional 5 Mhz spectrum to Railways in 700 Mhz band

Telecom regulator Trai on Friday recommended the allotment of the only chunk of 5 megahertz spectrum left in premium 700 Mhz band frequency range to Indian Railways for passenger safety applications. The price of per megahertz (Mhz) spectrum in 700 Mhz band frequency was priced at Rs 3,927 crore for commercial use. "In addition to the already assigned 5 MHz (paired) frequency spectrum in the 700 MHz frequency band, an additional 5 MHz (paired) frequency spectrum in the 700 MHz frequency band should be assigned to Indian Railways for its safety and security applications along the railway tracks for captive use," Trai said in its recommendation on "Assignment of Additional Spectrum to Indian Railways for its Safety and Security Applications". The DoT has already allocated 5 Mhz of spectrum in the 700 Mhz band to Indian Railways in 2021. Telecom signals transmitted in 700 Mhz band can cover an area in the range of 6-10 km. The vast coverage provided in these frequency bands reduces th

Bharti Airtel signs multi-billion deal with Ericsson for 4G, 5G expansion

Airtel inks multi-billion-dollar deal with Ericsson to extend 4G, 5G contracts; aims to enhance network capacity, coverage, and customer experience amid fierce market competition

AT&T expects over $18 bn in cash flow in 2027, driven by 5G, fiber services

Shares of the company rose more than 4 per cent during the session to their highest level since May 2021

Govt's nod for bank guarantee waiver will reduce telcos' burden: COAI

Industry body COAI on Tuesday said the Cabinet nod for bank guarantee waiver for past spectrum purchases is a "landmark decision" that would help reduce financial burden on telecom operators in the country. The association - whose members include Vodafone Idea, Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio - further said the move will enhance cash flow, free up capital and enable capital investments in network expansion and technology upgrades. This, COAI said, will ensure a stronger and robust rollout of telecom networks in the future. "COAI welcomes the Union Cabinet's move and thanks the Government on approving the waiving of bank guarantee for telecom operators on spectrum purchased before 2022. This landmark decision will significantly help reduce the financial burden on the telecom operators in the country," SP Kochhar, Director General of COAI said in a statement. The Union Cabinet has waived the requirement to submit bank guarantees for spectrum purchased through auctions held before 2022

India leads in 5G growth with 270 million users expected by end of 2024

Despite 5G's rapid growth, 4G still leads with 54% of subscriptions but will drop sharply from 640 million in 2024 to 240 million by 2030 as 5G adoption accelerates

Recommendations on satcom to be brought out soon: Trai Chairman Lahoti

Trai's recommendations are expected to clarify allocation methodology, frequencies to be used, spectrum pricing, and terms&conditions that satellite operators must meet concerning national security