Airtel Rolls Out 5G Network in 125 Cities, Service Now Live in 265 Cities in India

Bharti Airtel on Monday said it has launched high-speed 5G services in another 125 cities, taking the overall coverage to 265 cities in India.

The telecom services provider last week said its unique 5G users had crossed the 10 million milestone.

"5G has revolutionized the world of internet, ushering new era of connectivity and communications that will prove to be a game-changer for the country. At Airtel, we remain committed to delivering the highest quality of network and service to our customers as we roll out 125 more cities today," said Randeep Sekhon, CTO, Bharti Airtel.

"Airtel was the first in the country to offer 5G services in October 2022, and today's mega launch is our promise to connect every Airtel customer in the country with ultra-fast Airtel 5G Plus. Our 5G rollout is on track to cover all towns and key rural areas by March 2024."

Notably, telecom service providers in India started providing high-speed 5G services in the country from October 2022 onwards.

The government issued spectrum allocation letters to telecom service providers in August 2022, asking them to prepare for the rollout of 5G services in the country.

Department of Telecom had received total bids worth Rs 1.50 lakh crore from the 5G spectrum auction.

What is 5G, and how is it different from the current 3G and 4G services?

5G is the fifth-generation mobile network capable of transmitting a large data set at a very rapid speed.

In comparison to 3G and 4G, 5G has a very low latency which will enhance user experiences in various sectors. Low latency describes the efficiency of processing a very high volume of data messages with a minimal delay.

The 5G rollout is also expected to bring more development in remote data monitoring in sectors such as mining, warehousing, telemedicine, and manufacturing, among others.