Mobile users on Airtel network still relying on 3G connectivity will finally have to switch to 4G before March 2020.
Telecom major Bharti Airtel last week said that it expects to shut down its entire 3G network across the country by March 2020, the process for which has already started with Kolkata service area.
The company said it is keeping razor sharp focus on driving greater realisation and Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) but emphasised that tariffs need to move up in long term for industry viability.
The process of switching off the 3G network has already started with Kolkata in the recent-concluded June quarter. By September, the shut down will be affected in 6-7 more circles and between December and March the entire 3G network would be shut down, Gopal Vittal, CEO (India and South Asia), Bharti Airtel, said during the company's post earnings call.
"Yes, we do see an upgrade when someone moves from 2G to 4G...On spectrum, probably by April 2020, we will really have only 2G and 4G. So all our spectrum will sit on 4G other than the administered spectrum which is on 2G, plus a small slug of spectrum that we require to run our 2G networks...everything else will be sitting on 4G band," Vittal said.
The company has 120 million data customers on its network, out of which about 95 million are on 4G.
Airtel had said on Thursday last week, that in line with its focus on network experience, it has re-farmed spectrum from 3G networks to 4G across both the 900 as well as 2100 bands and begun the process of shutting down 3G networks in India.
Airtel said it does not expect prices to move and in fact is prepared for it not to move up despite remaining at "unsustainable" level.
Jio has already become the leading telecom player in the country, with more users on its network than Vodafone Idea and Airtel have, as of the last reported figures. Its pocket-friendly data plans have resulted in big change in the Indian telecom space and 4G network reach has made sure people in remote areas get high-speed internet at their doorstep.
Airtel becomes the first teleco to decide on shutting down its 3G network and we expect Vodafone Idea to follow suit in the near future.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)