Telcos plan ₹3-lakh crore capex to get future-ready

Mumbai: India’s telecom industry is projected to spend as much as ₹2.5-3 lakh crore on capital expenditure over the next three to five years as companies pivot from coverage expansion to network densification, fiberisation, and AI-driven optimisation, said analysts. This would mark a shift from the sector’s peak capex cycle in FY24 for rolling out 5G services across the country, achieving 90% coverage.

“An estimated ₹2.5-3 lakh crore of additional industry capex over the next 3-5 years is set to be driven by rising data consumption at 22 GB per user per month, FWA expansion, and rural backhaul,” said Shilpa Malaiya Singhai, managing director at Alvarez & Marsal India.