Today’s telecom news includes announcements on Vodafone Idea, India delicenses lower 6 GHz band, Singtel sells $1.5 bn stake in Bharti Airtel.
Vodafone Idea Debt Waiver Petition Rejected
Vodafone Idea’s petition to waive over $5 billion in adjusted gross revenue dues was rejected by the Supreme Court of India. The company has total net debt of $25 billion. It requested relief on $9.76 billion in dues, including interest and penalties. Vodafone Idea stated it may not operate beyond FY26 without support. The company is a joint venture between Vodafone Group Plc and Aditya Birla Group. The government converted a portion of dues into equity and holds a 49 percent stake. A similar petition by Bharti Airtel was also dismissed. Vodafone Idea’s stock declined by 10 percent following the decision. CEO Akshaya Moondra sent a letter on April 17 requesting intervention. The Ministry of Communications responded on April 29, denying the request, Reuters news report said.
India Delicenses Lower 6 GHz Band
The Department of Telecommunications issued draft rules to delicense the 5925–6425 MHz portion of the 6 GHz spectrum band. The spectrum will be used for Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 without prior authorization. The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) stated India needs 2 GHz of mid-band spectrum to meet IMT-2020 requirements and currently has only 720 MHz. The Broadband India Forum (BIF) supported the move. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) recommended this policy in 2022. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) designated 6425–7125 MHz for licensed mobile use during the December 2023 World Radiocommunication Conference. The United States, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia allow unlicensed use of the full 6 GHz band. China allocated the entire band to 5G, and Europe adopted a split approach, Business Standard reports.
Singtel Sells $1.5 bn Stake in Bharti Airtel
Singtel, through its unit Pastel, sold a 1.2 percent stake in Bharti Airtel for SGD2 billion (about $1.5 billion), reducing its holding from 29.5 percent to 28.3 percent. The transaction was completed via private placement to institutional investors. The deal generated a gain of SGD1.4 billion. This sale is part of a capital management plan launched in 2021. In 2022 and 2024, Singtel raised SGD3.5 billion from additional sales of Airtel shares. GSMA Intelligence reported 4.8 million mobile connections for Singtel in Singapore as of end-March. Bharti Airtel has 360 million mobile connections in India. The proceeds support capital reallocation and financial planning. The transaction reflects changes in Singtel’s investment approach and portfolio strategy, Mobile World Live reports.
TelecomLead.com News Desk
