Overview of Bharti Airtel
Bharti Airtel is India's second-largest telecom operator and one of the largest mobile operators in Africa, with operations covering India and 18 African countries. Airtel is strong in enterprise-level services. Its Airtel Business division is a leading B2B ICT service provider in India, with strong capabilities in IoT, cloud computing, and enterprise connectivity.
Airtel IoT solutions are based on its extensive cellular network (4G LTE and 5G) and roaming partnerships with global operators, providing end-to-end IoT connectivity and management services for industries such as manufacturing, agriculture, finance, and logistics.
Bharti Airtel Basic Information
- Established: 1995
- Headquarters: New Delhi, India
- Mobile Users in India: Approximately 385 million (October 2024)
- M2M Connections: 29.08 million, Market Share 51.82% (Ranked 1st in India)
- Broadband Users: 285 million (August 2024)
- Service Coverage: India + 18 African countries
- Network Standards: 4G LTE, 5G NR, NB-IoT, LTE-M
- Corporate Brand: Airtel Business
Core Technical Capabilities
Corporate IoT Expertise
Airtel Business provides comprehensive enterprise IoT solutions, including dedicated APN and customized connectivity services
India-Africa Dual Market
Spanning two major emerging markets in India and Africa, offering unified management for cross-regional IoT deployments
Airtel Cloud
Self-built cloud platform deeply integrated with IoT, providing data storage, analysis, and AI inference services
Enterprise Security
Dedicated network isolation, fixed IP allocation, and end-to-end encryption ensure the security of enterprise IoT data
IoT Product System
IoT Services
Airtel IoT Platform
- Device Connection Management
- Real-time Data Monitoring
- Alerts and Notifications
- REST API Integration
Enterprise Dedicated Line Services
- Dedicated APN Access
- MPLS Enterprise Private Network
- SD-WAN Services
- Fixed IP Address
Network standards and coverage
| Technical Standard | Coverage Area | Use Cases | Development Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4G LTE | Across India, multiple countries in Africa | Mainstream IoT Connection | Main Network |
| NB-IoT | Major cities in India | Smart metering | Deployment in progress |
| LTE-M | Certain regions in India | Wearable/Tracking | Continuous expansion |
| 5G NR | Major cities in India | Industrial 5G private network | Rapid construction |
| 2G/3G | Rural areas in Africa | Basic data transmission | Maintain coverage |
Industry Solutions
Banking and finance
- ATM remote monitoring
- POS terminal connection
- Branch network
- Mobile Financial Services
Manufacturing and Industry
- Factory 5G Private Network
- Remote equipment monitoring
- Energy consumption optimization management
- Safety Production Monitoring
Agricultural Development
- Farmland Soil Sensors
- Remote control of water pumps
- Agricultural Product Cold Chain
- Agricultural machinery GPS tracking
Logistics and Transportation
- Commercial fleet tracking
- Real-time cargo monitoring
- Driving behavior analysis
- Gas Station Management
Competitive Advantages
- Dual Market Advantage: Strong presence in the two major emerging markets of India and Africa
- Enterprise Services: Airtel Business deeply cultivates the B2B market with extensive service experience
- Comprehensive Coverage: Extensive network coverage from urban cores to rural areas
- Cloud IoT Integration: Deep integration of Airtel Cloud with the IoT platform
- Localization: Gain an in-depth understanding of local business needs in India and Africa
Development History and Milestones
Bharti Airtel was founded by Sunil Mittal in 1995, initially only as a mobile operator in the Delhi area. Since then, through aggressive expansion, it has gradually become one of the largest telecom operators in India. In 2010, Airtel acquired Zain's African operations for $10.7 billion, entering 15 African countries at once, achieving the leap from a local operator to a multinational group.
In the course of IoT development, Airtel officially launched the Airtel IoT platform in 2018, providing IoT connectivity management services for enterprises. In 2021, Airtel won the auction for India's 5G spectrum and began large-scale 5G deployment. In 2022, Airtel IoT connections exceeded 50 million, making it one of the largest IoT connectivity service providers in India. Airtel Business continues to deeply cultivate vertical industries such as manufacturing, agriculture, and banking and finance, launching industry-customized IoT solution packages.
Airtel IoT services data plan
Basic IoT Connection
Coverage Network: 4G LTE Full India Coverage
Data Plan Type: Monthly/Annual Billing, Includes Fixed Data
Applicable Scenarios: POS Machines, Trackers, Sensors, etc.
Enterprise Private Network Service
Service Content: Dedicated APN, Fixed IP, VPN Tunnel
Applicable Scenarios: Banks, Factories, Warehouses, and other enterprise scenarios
Advantages: Data Security Isolation, Compliance Support
Africa IoT Data Plan
Coverage: Network in 18 African countries
Billing method: Unified billing across multiple countries, simplified accounting
Advantages: The widest mobile network coverage in Africa
Service Support System
Airtel Business support
- Dedicated customer success team
- 24×7 Technical Support Hotline
- On-site Implementation Services
- POC (Proof of Concept) Support
Platform and Development
- IoT Platform API Documentation
- Device access test environment
- Technical training courses
- Solution architecture consulting
Ecosystem cooperation
- Device partner certification
- System Integrator Plan
- Independent Software Vendor Collaboration
- Industry Joint Marketing