Bharti Enterprises said it has already launched 635 satellites and is actively delivering services in various international markets
Indian operator Bharti Airtel is set to launch satellite communications services in India, local press reported, citing Rajan Bharti Mittal, vice chairman of Bharti Enterprises.
“In India, we are waiting for, as you know, the spectrum allocation to be done. Both our stations are ready, one in Gujarat and one in Tamil Nadu. The base stations are ready. So as soon as we get permission, we will be launching in India as well,” said Rajan Bharti Mittal.
Bharti Enterprises has already launched 635 satellites and is actively delivering services in various international markets, he further noted.
On the ongoing debate regarding spectrum allocation, Mittal reiterated Bharti Airtel’s stance that satellite operators should follow the same licensing and spectrum acquisition rules as traditional telecom companies, advocating for spectrum auctions instead of administrative allocation.
“We are all saying it should be a level playing field. The unconnected areas where the terrestrial networks cannot go, this is a great provider of services especially for broadband. So it must be kept in mind that the satellite communication services which are being given in far-flung areas and also in maritime or defense or other areas, that should have a different kind of a playing field,” he reportedly said.
Emphasizing the strength of India’s 4G and 5G infrastructure, he added: “I think we strongly believe the terrestrial networks in India are very robust with 4G and 5G now in place. I don’t think so that the satellite is needed for the urban areas, it is really for the far-flung areas and that’s where the talk of administrative price has been kept in mind that the pricing should not be that high but in terrestrial they should ally with the terrestrial networks that’s happening also in other parts of the world and I’m sure we’ll be in the price points being in India what they are. we’ll be able to deliver at far-flung areas at a decent price,” he explained.
Bharti Airtel’s 5G network reached 140,000 villages in India, while its 4G network coverage extended to 800,000 villages across India as September 2024. The telco covers all 7,900 towns in India with both 5G and 4G technologies, according to a company presentation for investors made on September 17.
Airtel is currently using equipment from Ericsson, Nokia and Samsung to provide 5G services. The Indian operator had secured a total of 19,800 megahertz of spectrum in the 900 MHz, 1.8 GHz, 2.1 GHz, 3.3 GHz and 26 GHz bands in a previous auction carried out by the Indian government in July 2022. In July 2024, the telco secured additional spectrum to expand its 5G offering.
