Bharti Airtel has stepped up its campaign for fair treatment on adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues following special relief granted to rival Vodafone Idea (Vi), while Vi has also made notable gains in emerging 5G experience metrics.
Airtel’s leadership says it has formally approached India’s Department of Telecommunications to ask for a similar review or recalculation of its AGR obligations after the government froze Vi’s AGR dues, a move that gave Vi extended time to pay and eased immediate financial pressure. Airtel, which also carries substantial AGR liabilities, says an equal approach is necessary to ensure competitive balance among telecom operators and prevent any one company from being disadvantaged as the sector restructures its dues framework.
The AGR issue dates back to a long‑running legal and regulatory debate over how operators calculate revenue for licence and spectrum fee purposes. The government’s recent reassessment exercise, prompted by a Supreme Court ruling, opened the door for revisiting how outstanding liabilities are measured for all carriers. Airtel’s push reflects broader industry concern about regulatory consistency and the burden that deferred liabilities place on investment capacity.
At the same time, Vodafone Idea, while still working to stabilise its finances after years of debt strain, has been picking up recognition in the quality of its 5G service experience. In the latest network analysis, Vi topped charts in several 5G experience categories such as video streaming, gaming, and voice app usage, surpassing competitors including Airtel and Reliance Jio in those specific metrics. Despite trailing behind in overall download and upload speed leadership, Vi’s gains show that its 5G rollout is delivering competitive user experiences in key areas.
The contrasting developments highlight the dynamic pressures in India’s telecom industry: a push for regulatory fairness on long‑standing financial obligations on one hand, and rising competition in next‑generation network performance on the other. Operators are now balancing financial strategy with customer experience as they advance 5G services amid evolving market conditions.
