Airtel to invest $16 billion in networks, Digital India

NEW DELHI: Bharti Airtel will spend $16 billion to build deeper IT infrastructure to offer telecom services to Indian citizens in rural and urban parts of the country, the chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal said during the launch of Digital India week.

“Digital India has power to transform the country in shortest time, also digitally native Modi the right man to lead the drive. Modi understands the power of technology and how it can transform the nation, connect the nation in shortest timeframe. Who better to lead it than our PM,” Mittal said.

The Bharti chairman also said that Bharti will make meaningful contribution towards the Digital Indian initiative. “We will also ensure providing services such as e-health and e-education to Indian citizens,” he said.

Mittal said that the company will take connectivity to the next level and will work toward bringing 4G for masses in the country.

Earlier in April 2012, Airtel had launched India’s first 4G services in Kolkata. Airtel’s 4G services are now available across India including Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Mangalore, Pune, Chandigarh and Amritsar.