Government must ensure early 5G rollout, make spectrum available at reasonable pricing: Sunil Mittal

Bharti Airtel Chairman Sunil Mittal Tuesday said the government must encourage 5G rollout in the country at the earliest by supporting the telecom sector in terms of pricing of spectrum at reasonable levels and lowering various levies.

“My recommendation is govt must encourage 5G coming in India … rather than being late. Government can help in giving more spectrum at reasonable price,” Mittal told reporters here.

He said the telecom regulator Trai-recommended price is very high, as for 5G every operator will require over 100 megahertz.

“All equipment currently being deployed by Airtel are 5G ready. You cannot have a situation where you want to benefit Digital India and you tax the most. Just not get into a new dialogue… you see new DCC (Digital Communications Commission) policy. What you have committed do that,” Mittal said.

The government has promised reduction in levies on the telecom sector under the new telecom policy.

He said the industry is building infrastructure for 5G service and the government has to extend support.

Mittal said that Bharti Airtel wants to have it optical fibre company Telesonic to be in place by March and it is in talks with Vodafone to join the company with its optic fibre network.