Airtel Refutes Tejas Networks' Claim, Alleges Use Of Sub-Standard Gears Causing Problems

Bharti Airtel on Tuesday asserted that its network is facing interference issues in Rajasthan due to 'sub-standard equipment' installed by Tejas Networks for BSNL’s 4G rollout, rejecting claims by the Tata Group company. Tejas Networks on Monday claimed that the alleged interference issue Airtel is facing in Rajasthan was due to the deployment of sites closer to BSNL sites without addressing the related technical requirements.

Tata Group firm Tejas Networks is part of the TCS and C-DOT-led consortium, which has bagged a contract to roll out BSNL’s 4G network across the country.

“The claim made by Tejas Networks is baseless. Towers have historically accommodated two or more sites of different operators without interference, so the problem isn’t due to the closeness of sites. The current problem is more a function of sub-standard equipment which doesn’t conform to Indian spectrum allocation requirements,' an Airtel spokesperson said.

Airtel, in March, complained to the Wireless Planning Commission (WPC) wing of the Department of Telecom about the interference issue. An industry source, on condition of anonymity, said that WPC has asked BSNL to deploy adequate filters to resolve the issue. Signal interference may lead to slowing or blocking of communications, noise in calls and other issues that may adversely affect service quality.

BSNL and Bharti Airtel have been assigned radio frequency ranges that partially overlap. In such scenarios, networks are required to make adequate arrangements with filters and maintain sufficient spacing between towers to prevent signal interference.

In the letter dated November 24, addressed to Bharti Airtel Chief Regulatory Officer, Rahul Vatts, Tejas Network Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer Arnob Roy had said that the radio equipment that it has deployed in BSNL Network is fully compliant to standards with very good margin which has network filter built-in that are providing additional support to reject signal from entering into Airtel's network.

Tejas alleged that the problem being faced in the Airtel network is due to the deployment of its sites very close to BSNL towers without adequately addressing elements of signal loss in the network.

The Airtel spokesperson said that radio equipment made by all global vendors for India for the 850 MHz band conforms to Indian frequency allocation requirements, which means the signal from the 850 MHz band gets turned off within a certain limit and thus does not interfere with the uplink of the 900 MHz band.

'But the radio equipment made by Tejas for the 850 MHz for India – being used by BSNL – radiates signals beyond those limits, thus interfering with Airtel’s 900 MHz uplink. To resolve the matter, Tejas needs to use a filter to ensure the equipment radiates signals only up to the limit,' the Airtel spokesperson said. An email query sent to Tejas Networks elicited no reply till the story was filed.