Bharti Airtel obtained 97 MHz of spectrum in the 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, and 2100 MHz frequency bands in an auction that ended on June 26 for a total of Rs 6,857 crore. This spectrum, acquired over a 20-year period, intends to strengthen the company's mid-band holdings in critical circles.
In an exchange filing, Airtel stated that the newly purchased spectrum would add to its current mid-band spectrum pool, making it the largest in the country. This deal includes the renewal of spectrum that will expire in 2024, ensuring continuity and better service delivery. Bharti Hexacom Ltd, a subsidiary of Bharti Airtel, also bought 15 MHz of spectrum for Rs 1,001 crore.
Gopal Vittal, Managing Director and CEO of Bharti Airtel, commented on the acquisition, saying, "Airtel continues to buy the appropriate amount of spectrum to provide the best possible experience to our consumers. In this auction, we increased our sub-gigahertz and mid-band holdings, which will significantly boost our indoor coverage."
Earlier this month, Bharti Airtel paid the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) Rs 7,904 crore, fully satisfying all deferred liabilities arising from spectrum bought in the 2012 and 2015 auctions. These payments were made to discharge liabilities with high interest rates of 9.75 percent and 10%, respectively.
The Government bid Rs 11,300 crore in the Spectrum Auction
In the recently finished spectrum auction, the government received Rs 11,300 crore in bids over seven rounds, falling substantially short of the reserve price of Rs 96,317 crore for the 10,523.15 MHz of available spectrum. This is in contrast to the 2022 auction, which raised Rs 1.5 trillion, thanks partly to the launch of 5G airwaves.
