The rapid fusion of Internet of Things (IoT) technology and 5G networks is reshaping the telecommunications landscape worldwide, with India quickly emerging as a pivotal innovation hub. At the heart of this transformation sits Bharti Airtel, a leading Indian telecom giant, aggressively expanding its IoT footprint by leveraging the latest advancements in 5G, particularly the Reduced Capability (RedCap) technology. By strategically investing in in-house platforms and partnering with tech leaders, Airtel is not only scaling IoT solutions across diverse industry sectors but also confronting the barriers of cost and infrastructure head-on to unlock the future of connected enterprises.
Bharti Airtel’s journey into the IoT arena exemplifies the power of focused strategy and technological integration. The company has already surpassed a staggering 48 million connected IoT devices across India, thanks to its investment in proprietary platforms tailored to specific industry needs. Sharat Sinha, CEO of Airtel Business, underscores the intent to craft an end-to-end ecosystem that spans automotive, utilities, manufacturing, and financial services. This bespoke infrastructure allows Airtel to deliver scalable and reliable IoT solutions that enable enterprises to streamline operations and harness real-time data for smarter decision-making. One concrete example includes their GNSS-enabled tolling systems, which have revolutionized highway toll collections by enhancing process efficiency and improving user experience. With this level of tailored innovation, Airtel is not just adding devices to its network but is fundamentally catalyzing digital transformation across industries.
At the core of Airtel’s IoT expansion is its early and vigorous uptake of 5G technologies. Since the launch of its 5G network in October 2022, Airtel has rapidly expanded coverage to more than 90 million users—a remarkable scale in itself. But the real game changer lies in their extension of private 5G networks, which cater to the unique demands of enterprises requiring ultra-reliable, low-latency connectivity. IoT applications thrive on such high-speed, immediate data exchange, making 5G indispensable. Collaborations with key technology players—such as Ericsson and Qualcomm—have reinforced Airtel’s push into 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) and Wi-Fi solutions tailored for IoT. Notably, Airtel became the first Indian enterprise to power over 20 million IoT devices using 5G, a milestone illustrating the symbiotic relationship between 5G and IoT in India’s digital evolution.
A particularly intriguing advance in Airtel’s 5G playbook is its pioneering work around 5G RedCap technology. RedCap smartly bridges the divide between high-performance 5G and the low-power needs of many IoT devices by trimming down device complexity without sacrificing essential data rates or energy efficiency. GSMA Intelligence highlights that RedCap can reduce IoT device energy consumption by as much as 40% compared to traditional 5G solutions—a game-changer for scenarios where battery life and cost are paramount. Airtel’s trailblazing trials with Ericsson’s pre-commercial RedCap software demonstrate its commitment to unlocking new industrial possibilities that demand reliable yet affordable connectivity. This technology could, in time, become the sweet spot for IoT solutions balancing performance with affordability, enabling use cases previously held back by power and cost constraints.
Yet, despite the technological leaps, cost presents a stubborn obstacle slowing the widespread adoption of 5G RedCap IoT devices and networks. Indian telecom operators consistently point to the high costs of compatible chipsets, network infrastructure investments, and the affordability challenge for end-users as critical barriers. LTE-based IoT solutions still dominate due to their maturity and lower price points, making the immediate appeal of RedCap less compelling. However, RedCap’s advantages—higher energy efficiency and future-ready scalability—position it as a long-term growth driver once the cost curve bends downward. Overcoming these financial hurdles will require not just economies of scale but also innovative cost-management solutions and widespread industry support.
Addressing this challenge extends beyond individual telcos; it calls for cohesive regulatory frameworks and spectrum policies. India’s government and telecom regulators have recognized the urgency for a comprehensive 5G spectrum roadmap that can sustain the burgeoning data and IoT demand across the country. Airtel, alongside giants like Jio and Vodafone Idea, has advocated for unlocking additional spectrum resources vital for maintaining network quality and capacity. Such regulatory backing is fundamental to fostering an innovation-conducive environment and sustaining the competitive momentum, particularly in the enterprise segment where private 5G networks are seeing soaring demand. A clear, supportive spectrum framework is the linchpin enabling India’s telecom sector to keep pace with global advancements and to translate technological promise into tangible socio-economic benefits.
Bharti Airtel’s trajectory illustrates a compelling story of how cutting-edge IoT and 5G innovations are converging to pioneer India’s digital transformation. Their investments in bespoke IoT platforms, combined with aggressive 5G network expansion—including the pioneering deployment of RedCap technology—offer scalable, enterprise-oriented solutions targeted at real-world operational challenges. The energy-optimized and cost-conscious design of RedCap holds the potential to shift the market dynamics once technological costs decline, paving the way for next-generation IoT applications across manufacturing, utilities, transportation, and beyond. The journey toward ubiquitous IoT adoption, while laden with cost and infrastructure challenges, is well underway thanks to collaborative efforts among operators, technology partners, and regulators. Through these coordinated moves, India stands on the cusp of becoming a global powerhouse in IoT-driven digital innovation fueled by the expansive promise of 5G networks. The case is closed, folks—IoT and 5G are not just the future; Airtel is making it happen today.
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