Airtel is already providing 4G services in 19 cities across India. These include Chandigarh, Bangalore, Kolkata, Nasik and Pune. Delhi has been one its toughest targets to achieve. Finally the dark clouds might be evaporating as Airtel sees a ray of hope. They have got the go ahead from Department of Telecom (DoT) to deploy 4G services in Delhi.
Airtel has been fighting a court case where DoT had asked them to pay 436 crores for 4G deployment in the Delhi circle. As the mobile and broadband service provider had acquired 4G spectrum using Wireless Business Services, which was earlier part of Qualcomm and now has been taken over by Airtel under Airtel Broadband Services.
The court has asked Airtel to give and undertaking in which the company has to state that if their petition fails in court then they would need to pay Rs 436 crores to the Union of India with interest. On the same basis DoT has given to green signal to Airtel to deploy 4G services in the Indian capital.
This does seem like a sticky surface for Airtel, if you ask us. However, some sources do say that Airtel is confident of the situation and can go ahead with 4G deployment in New Delhi. The pricing of the service in Delhi is still not out and no one has commented on the same. Hopefully in the coming months we would have a clearer picture.
The go ahead from DoT could be the opportunity Airtel needs to get the edge over any other service provider in Delhi, but if it does not go in their favour in the court they would end up paying a lot of money.
