Telecom network operator Bharti Airtel on Tuesday announced the Open Network initiative under Project Leap investment program.
Public now can access information on its entire mobile network coverage through an interactive online interface.
The significance of the pioneering development is the fact that mobile subscribers can select Airtel services with more confidence.
“Customers will be able to see network coverage / signal strength in any location across India through a coded interface that will show if coverage is excellent, good, moderate or non-existent,” said Bharti Airtel in a statement.
The main impact will be the response from Airtel’s rivals including Idea Cellular, Vodafone India, Reliance Jio Infocomm, Reliance Communications, Aircel, BSNL, among others.
These telecom operators did not even respond when Bharti Airtel announced a massive Rs 60,000 crore investment to improve its mobile network under the Project Leap investment program in 3 years.
TelecomLead.com earlier urged telecom network operators to bring transparency in terms of their quality of services, bills, network coverage, etc.
The development indicates that Airtel further gained confidence in its own 2G, 3G and 4G offerings for Indians. The Sunil Mittal-promoted company is making investment in technology solutions for better indoor coverage and network optimization; overhauling legacy networks with new equipment and making investments in additional spectrum and fiber.
Earlier, Bharti Airtel decided to voluntarily implement 25 percent more stringent mobile call drop benchmark of 1.5 percent versus 2 percent prescribed by the TRAI.
What’s Open Network?
Airtel has opened up its entire mobile network information to its customers through an interactive online interface. The new interface will display Airtel’s mobile network coverage / signal strength across India in addition to network site deployment status. The interface uses geospatial tools and other technologies for accurate reporting of network coverage.
The interface will be available on www.airtel.in/opennetwork and myAirtel app starting tomorrow.
Airtel consumers can report their network related issues utilizing the same app or web portal.
Airtel India CEO Gopal Vittal said: “Getting permissions to put up a network site is a challenge in delivering a seamless experience to customers. We hope customers will actively come forward and help us make our network better.”
During financial year ended March 2016, Airtel invested over INR 15,000 crore across India towards deployment of over 88,000 sites. This is the largest network deployment anywhere in the world outside of China.
