According to reports, Airtel has accused Tejas of deploying equipment that interferes with its operations, specifically in the 900-MHz band, due to issues related to spectrum overlap.
Airtel’s complaint, detailed in a letter sent to Tejas on November 14, alleges that BSNL’s 4G network, which operates on the 800-MHz spectrum band using the 864-894 MHz range, is causing interference with Airtel’s services in the 900-MHz band. The interference reportedly stems from the radio equipment’s filter design, which Airtel claims is incompatible with India’s specific spectrum limits — particularly the 869-889 MHz downlink range for the 800-MHz band. Airtel has stated that neither BSNL nor Tejas has taken effective action to resolve the issue.
In response, Tejas Networks asserted that their equipment complies with 3GPP standards and meets BSNL’s technical requirements for out-of-band emissions. The company explained that the interference is due to overlapping spectrum bands in Rajasthan and is currently being addressed through additional filtering measures in consultation with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Airtel, and BSNL.
Tejas highlighted that it is deploying India’s first indigenously developed 4G stack for BSNL, called the Bharat Telecom Stack, which was officially launched in September. This cloud-based solution integrates Tejas’s base stations and radio infrastructure with an EPC core network developed by the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT). Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) supplies the data centres and manages the network through its Cognitive Network Operations platform, TCS CNOPS, providing real-time monitoring and management.
The Indian government has positioned the Bharat 4G stack as a key milestone in its broader strategy to promote self-reliance in technology and establish India as a global hub for telecom manufacturing. The controversy highlights ongoing efforts to improve indigenous infrastructure and ensure seamless network integration across the country’s rapidly evolving telecom landscape.
