Airtel Begins Transition to Dual 5G Network in India, Lays Groundwork for 5G Advanced Rollout

Bharti Airtel has officially begun the transition to a dual-mode 5G network (NSA + SA) in India, marking a major step towards launching its 5G Advanced services. The move positions Airtel ahead in the race to upgrade its infrastructure to next-generation standards while preparing for widespread industrial and consumer use cases.

The development was confirmed by Airtel Managing Director Gopal Vittal during the company’s Q2 FY2025 earnings call (July–September 2025). He revealed that Airtel has already migrated its fixed wireless access (FWA) customers and initiated dual-mode 5G trials across several telecom circles.

“As of now, Airtel 5G subscribers in 13 circles are already on the dual-mode 5G network with SA,” Vittal said. He also added that commercial rollout is expected “in the coming months” as 5G data traffic continues to rise.

📡 What Is Dual-Mode 5G (NSA + SA)?

A dual-mode 5G network combines Non-Standalone (NSA) and Standalone (SA) architectures:

• NSA (Non-Standalone): Uses existing 4G infrastructure to deliver faster 5G speeds and lower latency without building an entirely new network.
• SA (Standalone): Operates on dedicated 5G infrastructure with its own core network, offering ultra-low latency, higher reliability, and better capacity.

By integrating both, Airtel aims to deliver faster speeds, improved coverage, and greater network stability, while reducing deployment costs.

This contrasts with rival Reliance Jio, which launched its network on a pure SA 5G model, skipping the NSA phase altogether.

🧠 5G Advanced: Powering Industry 4.0 and Beyond

The dual-mode network is part of Airtel’s broader transition to 5G Advanced, a more powerful version of 5G that will underpin AI-driven, XR, and Digital Twin technologies.

Earlier this year, Airtel signed a strategic research partnership with Ericsson and Volvo Group to explore Extended Reality (XR) and Industry 4.0/5.0 applications using 5G Advanced networks.

The collaboration aims to test industrial XR use cases, boost smart manufacturing, and enhance connected operations — paving the way for futuristic applications in India’s industrial ecosystem.

🚀 What’s Next for Airtel

With over 13 telecom circles already piloting NSA + SA operations, Airtel plans to commercially launch its dual-mode 5G network nationwide in the next phase of its rollout strategy.

The company’s gradual migration to 5G Advanced highlights its focus on long-term scalability, ensuring readiness for AI-powered automation, IoT, and smart infrastructure deployments.