Telecom network operator Bharti Airtel today announced plans to double its networks investment in Jharkhand in the next three years.
Bharti Airtel says it will double wireless broadband service – on 3G networks — over the next 3 years. The telecom network operator will strengthen Jharkhand’s internet backbone by adding 1,500 kms of fiber across the state by year 2018.
The investment in Jharkhand is part of Airtel’s network transformation program called Project Leap. Airtel aims to invest Rs 60,000 crore in three years across the country. Till today, Airtel rivals Vodafone India, Idea Cellular, BSNL, Reliance Communications and Tata Docomo are yet to make announcements on augmenting network by maing fresh investments.
“The investment in telecom sector marks the largest deployment of network infrastructure in the history of the state and is set to become one of the biggest investments made by a private sector company in Jharkhand,” said U Bharath, CEO – Bihar & Jharkhand, Bharti Airtel.
In the last 3 years, Bharti Airtel has invested Rs 400 crore in the state. Since 2012, Airtel Jharkhand has added 2,200 cellular sites and over 1,500 kms of high speed fiber optical cable – benefiting more than 10 million customers across 7,000 additional villages in Jharkhand.
Airtel plans to double its wireless broadband connectivity on 3G network and extend its 3G reach to 60 percent of the population in Jharkhand in the next three years.
“Our investments in Jharkhand will largely be towards upgrading and modernizing our network infrastructure, expanding mobile broadband to rural areas and laying of the optical fiber,” Bharath said.
Baburajan K
editor@telecomlead.com