Adani Group dials 5G, Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel could face big fight for revenues

The Adani Group’s entry into the 5G spectrum race and its plans to offer private captive network solutions could result in intensified competition for India’s top telcos who may see their potential revenue from enterprise services as well as from airwaves leasing take a hit, say industry executives and analysts.

Industry executives expect the cash-rich Gautam Adani-led conglomerate to engage in a possible bidding battle with Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel NSE -4.65 % for 5G airwaves in both the coveted but expensive 3.3-3.67 GHz and the cheaper 26 GHz bands. This scenario could queer the pitch for cash-strapped Vodafone Idea NSE 3.57 % (Vi) as the latter may be forced to either overbid or totally miss out on any meaningful participation in the auction, starting July 26, further weakening its position in the market.