Airtel rolls out 5G services on 26 GHz spectrum across 22 circles

Telecom service provider Bharti Airtel has announced that it has successfully rolled out 5G services on the 26 GHz spectrum across all 22 telecom circles in India. Deployment of the Airtel 5G services on the 26 GHz spectrum complies with the norms for meeting the minimum roll-out obligation criteria outlined by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).

According to Airtel, DoT had carried out testing in Mumbai Licensed Service Area (LSA) and confirmed that the telco had fulfilled the application criteria and requisitions necessary to comply with the minimum roll-out obligation norms.

“With broader 5G opportunities enabled by 26 GHz, the company is poised to continuously drive innovation to create ultimate Airtel 5G Plus experiences for its customers. The performance on the ground has demonstrated remarkable potential and the growing momentum of 5G adoption,” the company said in a statement.

The 26 GHz spectrum offers higher bandwidth and lower latency. Airtel acquired 19,800 MHz of bandwidth for Rs. 43,084 crores in the auction held by the government in July 2022. The company bought the 26 GHz band and the 3.3-3.67 GHz band to deliver 5G services in the country.

Airtel started rolling out its 5G Plus services in October 2022, and since, the company has rolled out the service to nearly 5000 cities in the country. By the end of this year, the company plans to cover all major cities and towns in India with a 5G Plus network.