Bharti Airtel to double tower capacity; targets rural users

Cellular operator Bharti Airtel will double the tower capacity to 80,000 by March 2008 as it grows its network to reach more towns and cities across the country, besides expanding in metros.

"Currently there are 40,000 towers. This year-end we would be doubling the capacity to total 80,000 towers. This will be the single largest roll out by any company in one year and promises very good coverage to our subscribers in the next 18 months'', Su nil Mittal, CMD, Bharti Enterprises told reporters on the sidelines of a CII seminar. Some of these towers could be capacity filling towers, while most of them will be coming up in new rural areas, he said, adding that in the last one year the company s et up 20,000 new towers.

The cellular major, in which Singapore Telecom holds 31 per cent stake, has already announced its decision to spend Rs 4,300 crore to expand transmission towers. Bharti's tower spending is part of a plan to spend as much as Rs 14,000 crore this year on network expansion to maintain its lead over Reliance and Vodafone Essar.

As mobile penetration goes to semi-urban and rural areas, operators are investing heavily for massive expansion of their mobile networks, infrastructure and subscriber numbers. The company also plans to sell shares in the tower subsidiary to investors.
Bharti Airtel shares were up marginally at Rs 827.20.