Roll-out of 5G tech will map Bharti Airtel's stock trajectory: Analysts

Investors need to stay vigilant as payback from 5G is still unclear (across telcos globally), and may put pressure on tariff hikes, analysts cautioned

The near-term trajectory of Bharti Airtel’s stock will hinge on the telecom services provider’s roll-out of 5th generation, or 5G, said analysts. They have minutely trimmed their one-year target prices on the stock, factoring high capital expenditure (capex) over the next 18 months.

Moreover, the strategy of its closest competitor – Reliance Jio (RJio) – will be another key determinant, they added.

During the post-earnings call, RJio said it was looking to migrate to more advanced, standalone architecture (SA) using in-house developed core and network elements on 700MHz coverage layer. On the other hand, Bharti said it would be using