The spectrum auctions 2021 concluded recently with Airtel spending Rs 18,699 crores for acquiring 355.45 MHz of spectrum across 2300 MHz, mid-band, and Sub GHz band. The telco is looking to enhance its network quality and has said that it will be able to cover 90 million more users across the rural areas of India with the new spectrum. We have broken down the spectrum purchases of Airtel across different telecom circles, and here is all you should know.
Bharti Airtel Spectrum Auction Purchases
Telecom circle wise, Airtel strengthened its spectrum portfolio by purchasing spectrum in all the three categories of bands: Sub GHz band, mid-band, and 2300 MHz band in the following circles - Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, MPCG, North East, Odisha, UP - East, UP - West, and West Bengal.
Airtel Spectrum auction 2021 Band Wise Data
Airtel spent a total of Rs 9,457 crores on purchasing spectrum in the 800 MHz and 900 MHz Sub GHz bands and acquired a total of 48.85 MHz of spectrum in the category. The telco purchased 5 MHz spectrum in the 900 MHz band in Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, UP - East, and UP - West circles. Further, it purchased 5 MHz spectrum in the 800 MHz band in the MPCG circle. This is the most the telco purchased in the category in all of the circles. Also Read: India Spectrum Holding Timeline 2021 Coming to the mid-band spectrum, the telco spent a total of Rs 6,172 crore on acquiring 86.6 MHz spectrum, including the 1800 MHz and 2100 MHz band. It spent more than Rs 1,000 crores on both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, for acquiring spectrum in the concerned band, which is the most any circles in this category. In Tamil Nadu, Airtel purchased 15 MHz of spectrum in the 1800 MHz band for Rs 1,500 crores and in Karnataka, it purchased 11.2 MHz of spectrum in the same band for Rs 1,221 crores. Lastly, in the 2300 MHz band, the telco acquired 220 MHz of spectrum by spending a total of Rs 3,070 crores. It made considerable purchases in the concerned band in Maharashtra, spending Rs 720 cores for 10 MHz of spectrum, which is the most for the telco in any circle in this category. Airtel also spent Rs 700 crores for 10 MHz of spectrum in the same band in Gujarat. Airtel purchased at least 10 MHz or 20 MHz of spectrum in the 2300 MHz band pan-India, excluding some of the regions/states.
