'Business as it should be': Sunil Mittal praises DoT after 5G spectrum allocation

Bharti Airtel Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal has praised the Department of telecommunications (DoT) for allotting 5G spectrum bands to the company within hours after the company paid its dues.

“Airtel paid ₹8312.4 crore towards spectrum dues and was provided the allocation letter for the designated frequency bands within hours. In my over 30 years of first-hand experience with DoT, this is a first! Business as it should be,” said Mittal in a statement on Thursday (August 18).

Also Read: Airtel pays ₹8,312 cr to DoT to clear 4-yr instalment in advance for 5G spectrum

Mittal, while appreciating the ease of doing business, said there was no fuss, no follow-up, no running around the corridors and no tall claims. “E band allocation was given along with spectrum as promised,” he said.

The chairman of India’s second-largest telecom player believes that this leadership at work, right at the helm of telecom, can change and transform the nation and power its dream to become a developed nation. “What a Change! Change that can transform this nation,” he said.

Also Read: Airtel to start 5G services rollout in Aug; inks pacts with Ericsson, Nokia, Samsung

Bharti Airtel has paid four years of 2022 spectrum dues upfront. “The company believes that this upfront payment, coupled with the moratorium on spectrum dues and AGR-related payments for four years, will free up future cash flows,” said a statement by the company.

The company is now hopeful that future business proceeds can be deployed to concentrate on the 5G rollout.