Telecom needs 'long overdue' support for 3+1 structure: Sunil Mittal

Airtel to scale up investments in data centres, Cloud services, cyber security

Bharti Airtel Chairman Sunil Mittal on Tuesday said the telecom sector needs the “long overdue” government support to maintain its current 3+1 structure, hinting at a relief package for the beleaguered competitor Vodafone Idea.
 
The 3+1 structure refers to three private players — Jio, Airtel, VIL — and a public sector telco — BSNL.
 
Issues such as unsustainable pricing and low returns in a highly capital-intensive environment, coupled with legacy legal issues, have taken their toll, Mittal said in Airtel’s annual report for 2020-21.
 
India continues to be a “promising destination” for long-term investors, he pointed out.