Airtel blames Tata's Tejas equipment for 900 MHz disruptions in Rajasthan: Report

In its communication, Airtel sought "immediate action" to stop the interference impacting its 900 MHz network in Rajasthan, which it claims is a direct result of Tejas' equipment operating in BSNL's 800 MHz band

Bharti Airtel has raised concerns with Tata-owned Tejas Networks, alleging that the company's "sub-standard equipment" is disrupting Airtel's mobile services in the Rajasthan circle, The Economic Times reported.

According to a letter dated November 14 and reviewed by ET, Airtel said the interference has been affecting its quality of service since December last year. The operator added that despite multiple technical meetings, joint tests and directives, Tejas has not taken corrective steps.

Tejas Networks is currently responsible for deploying the indigenously developed 4G stack for state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL).

In its communication, Airtel sought "immediate action" to stop the interference impacting its 900 MHz network in Rajasthan, which it claims is a direct result of Tejas' equipment operating in BSNL's 800 MHz band, as per The Economic Times.

Airtel said discussions have indicated that the issue stems from technical non-conformance in Tejas' radio equipment and filter design. The filter provided by Tejas was built for the 800 MHz band within the 864-894 MHz range, following certain international standards. However, Airtel pointed out that in India the 800 MHz downlink is confined strictly to 869-889 MHz.

Due to this misalignment with the Indian frequency plan, Airtel said Tejas' filter allows emissions outside the assigned spectrum, resulting in interference with the 900 MHz band used by other operators, ET reported.

In response, Tejas Networks told The Economic Times that its equipment meets 3GPP standards and complies with BSNL's detailed out-of-band emission requirements "with good margins". The company added that the issue in Rajasthan arises from an overlap of spectrum bands and is being resolved through additional filtering in consultation with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Airtel and BSNL.

Airtel did not respond to emailed queries, according to ET.

The compatibility concerns come at a time when the government is urging private telecom operators to increase the use of indigenous equipment amid heightening geopolitical risks. India has made a push for self-reliance in telecom manufacturing, and BSNL has already been mandated to procure gear solely from domestic vendors. Its 4G rollout has been executed by a consortium of C-DoT, Tata Consultancy Services and Tejas, with a similar local-only approach planned for the upcoming 5G deployment, The Economic Times noted.