Airtel may hike capex to Rs 280 bn for 5G rollout
ECONOMY & POLICY

Airtel may hike capex to Rs 280 bn for 5G rollout

Bharti Airtel plans to invest Rs 270-280 billion in its telecom network with the focus on 5G rollout.

While the company is plans to increase capital expenditure by 10-15%, it has no plans to charge a premium rate for 5G services, as such differential tariff schemes have not worked in several countries that tried it.

“Airtel capex will be in line with that spent in the last three years. It may go up or down because of the faster rollout of 5G - around Rs 27,000-28,000 crore. We may see an upsurge in one year and gradually moderate around the same level,” an official who did not wish to be named said.

The company earlier had an annual average capex in the range of Rs 240-250 billion. The official said that capex is being largely spent on radios (mobile antennas), fibre, broadband, enterprise technology, data centres, etc.

According to data from the Telecom Ministry, Bharti Airtel has rolled out 3,293 base stations for 5G till November 26.

The official said that the company hopes mobile service rates will go up, but the range of increase will depend on market dynamics.

He said that in the next six weeks the company will have a full idea of the pilot and take calls on its rollout in other telecom circles.

He said that the company sees a lot of business coming from consumers shifting from 2G to 4G, pre-paid to postpaid, and postpaid customers buying all of Airtel's services like broadband, direct-to-home etc.

See also:
India’s data centres have attracted $10 bn since 2020
AWS launches cloud infra region in Hyderabad


Bharti Airtel plans to invest Rs 270-280 billion in its telecom network with the focus on 5G rollout. While the company is plans to increase capital expenditure by 10-15%, it has no plans to charge a premium rate for 5G services, as such differential tariff schemes have not worked in several countries that tried it. “Airtel capex will be in line with that spent in the last three years. It may go up or down because of the faster rollout of 5G - around Rs 27,000-28,000 crore. We may see an upsurge in one year and gradually moderate around the same level,” an official who did not wish to be named said. The company earlier had an annual average capex in the range of Rs 240-250 billion. The official said that capex is being largely spent on radios (mobile antennas), fibre, broadband, enterprise technology, data centres, etc. According to data from the Telecom Ministry, Bharti Airtel has rolled out 3,293 base stations for 5G till November 26. The official said that the company hopes mobile service rates will go up, but the range of increase will depend on market dynamics. He said that in the next six weeks the company will have a full idea of the pilot and take calls on its rollout in other telecom circles. He said that the company sees a lot of business coming from consumers shifting from 2G to 4G, pre-paid to postpaid, and postpaid customers buying all of Airtel's services like broadband, direct-to-home etc. See also: India’s data centres have attracted $10 bn since 2020AWS launches cloud infra region in Hyderabad

Next Story
Resources

Ajmera Realty launches tree drive on Environment Day

Ajmera Realty & Infra India marked World Environment Day with a large-scale tree plantation initiative—Plant-with-Purpose—across its projects in Mumbai and Bangalore. The drive was inaugurated at Ajmera Manhattan and Ajmera Greenfinity in Wadala, with senior company officials and residents in attendance. The campaign encourages residents to embrace eco-conscious, self-reliant lifestyles by growing useful plants and trees within their communities. Horticulture expert Devendra Bhekar guided residents on creating and maintaining green spaces. Ajmera Realty planted over 500 trees..

Next Story
Resources

Twaron®-reinforced tyre powers Brunel’s solar race car

Teijin Aramid’s Twaron® with circular content will debut in Bridgestone’s race tyres for the 2025 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, supporting the Brunel Solar Team’s Nuna 13 car. This marks the first use of the recycled-content aramid in a high-performance race tyre. The Twaron®-reinforced belts help enhance durability, reduce rolling resistance, and maintain lightweight strength—critical for the 3,000-km solar race across Australia. Bridgestone combines this with ENLITENTM tech and other recycled inputs to maximise environmental and performance outcomes. Teijin Aramid, a..

Next Story
Building Material

Kamdhenu Paints launches new wood coating range

Kamdhenu Paints has launched a comprehensive premium wood coating range designed for both interior and exterior applications. The collection includes high-performance solutions like Kamwood 2K PU for a rich matt or high-gloss finish, Kamwood 1K PU for clarity and stain protection, and the Kamwood Melamyne system for a smooth, durable finish. Also featured are Kamwood Wood Stains, which enhance wood grains with vibrant colour, and NC Sanding Sealer for high-build grain filling. The range is supported by Kamwood Thinners for ease of application and optimal finish. Saurabh Agarwal, MD, ..

Advertisement

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?