Telecom operator Idea Cellular today said its Capex (capital expenditure) for fiscal 2018 will be Rs 6,000 crore or less than $1 billion — indicating a reduction in investment.
Idea Cellular will be making investment for expanding broadband coverage, increase wireless data capacity with planned launch of 2300 MHz spectrum network (2500 MHz spectrum rollout slated for FY19) and introduction of LTE voice services etc.
Idea Cellular and rival Vodafone are in the process of merging their operations.
Bharti Airtel, on the other hand, earlier said it would make an investment of $2.5 billion or nearly Rs 20,000 crore in the Indian telecom market to bolster its 4G presence with a focus on fibre roll outs.
Idea Cellular rolled out 4,653 2G cell sites, 19,142 3G sites and 26,209 4G cell sites during the year, highest ever rollout of 50,004 sites in a year.
At present, Idea Cellular has 241,540 sites including 131,486 2G sites, 69,202 3G sites and 40,852 4G sites across the country.
“The total addition to the Gross Block including CWIP for the year was Rs 78.5 billion (excluding forex & interest capitalisation/de-capitalisation). The Capex guidance for FY18 is Rs 60 billion with current spectrum portfolio,” said Idea Cellular in a statement.
Idea has integrated highest ever network telecom site count of 50,004 sites (2G+3G+4G), expanding its network sites on GSM (2G), HSPA (3G) and LTE (4G) to 241,540 sites, including 70 percent increase in its wireless broadband site (3G+4G) count from 64,703 sites as on March 31, 2016 to 110,054 sites as of March 31, 2017.
The wireless broadband population under coverage expands beyond 500 million Indians in 21 service areas on Idea’s own broadband spectrum.
The company has also expanded its fibre network by 25 percent from 115,500 km (March 31, 2016) to 144,600 km as on March 31, 2017.
Idea’s overall spectrum holding of 891.2 MHz across 900, 1800, 2100, 2300 & 2500 MHz equips it with an ability to roll out broadband which can carry 15-20 times of its current mobile data traffic.
Idea will be launching 4G services in Mumbai by end of May 2017. By adding Mumbai to its 4G footprint, the company will be offering broadband services — 3G and / or 4G — on its own spectrum across all 22 service areas.
Idea launched its 4G services in 8 service areas of Gujarat, UPW, UPE, Rajasthan, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam and J&K, thus expanding its 4G broadband services to 19 telecom circles in fiscal 2017.
The company introduced 3G services in Bihar and Rajasthan areas, expanding Idea’s 3G product offerings on its own spectrum to 15 service areas (besides offering 3G services in remaining service areas on 3G ICR, except Orissa).
Baburajan K
editor@telecomlead.com
