Bharti Airtel, India’s second-largest telecom operator, has officially launched its dual-5G mode combining 5G NSA (non-standalone) and 5G SA (standalone) technologies. The rollout has already been completed across 13 circles, as confirmed by the company.
Airtel had earlier announced plans to introduce 5G SA for its fixed wireless access (FWA) users. The latest development confirms that both modes are now live together in these circles for FWA customers.
During Airtel’s Q2 FY26 earnings call, CEO Gopal Vittal said, “We are now in the process of transitioning our 5G networks towards 5G advanced by introducing dual NSA plus SA mode and migrating our FWA users on the same. Today, our FWA customers across 13 circles are already experiencing our dual-mode 5G network with SA.”
Currently, the dual-mode service is available only for FWA users. Mobile customers will have to wait a little longer for 5G SA, also known as 5G Advanced, which enables capabilities such as network slicing and enhanced efficiency.
“For the mobile network, pilots are underway for the 5G dual mode in a couple of circles, and we plan to make it commercial in the coming months as the traffic on our 5G network grows,” Vittal added.
He did not disclose the specific circles where pilots are ongoing, but these are expected to be high-traffic markets where additional network capacity will soon be required. Airtel’s 5G subscriber base reached 167 million at the end of the quarter, making it the second-largest 5G operator in India after Reliance Jio. The number is expected to grow further as 5G SA expands.
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