Airtel deploys additional 30MHz spectrum in J&K, Ladakh to boost network capacity

Bharti Airtel Thursday said it has deployed an additional 30MHz spectrum in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh in the 1800 and 2300 bands to boost network capacity.

Of this, 20MHz of the spectrum has been added in the 2300 band and 10MHz in the 1800 band, taking Airtel’s total spectrum bank to 71.2MHz, the largest in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh region.

As per the second largest Indian telco, it has over 5.59 million customers in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh and its network covers 91.13% population of both the Union Territories.

The rationale for rolling out additional airwaves, according to Airtel, is to enable improved network availability and data speeds along with better indoor network coverage in urban and rural areas. It will also allow offer wider coverage along highways and rail routes.

To be sure, in the recent spectrum auction conducted by the Department of Telecommunications, Airtel acquired 40MHz spectrum in 2300 band, 25MHz in 1800 and 2100 bands, and 6.2MHz in the 900 band for the twin Union Territories.

“With the highest spectrum holding at 71.2 MHz in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, Airtel is well-positioned to meet the surging demand for high-speed data. We remain obsessed with delivering a world-class service experience to our customers and continue to invest aggressively in the new spectrum and network upgrades at a time when our customers need it the most,” said Manu Sood, Hub CEO – Upper North, Bharti Airtel.

Airtel has also deployed advanced network technologies and tools such as pre-5G Massive MIMO, 4G Advanced, and Carrier Aggregation to step up high-speed network capacity and coverage.