New Delhi, August 19, 2025 – Bharti Airtel, one of India’s leading telecommunications providers, experienced a significant network outage on August 18, 2025, affecting thousands of users across Delhi-NCR and other major cities, including Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. The disruption, which began around 3:30 PM IST, impacted mobile calls, SMS, and data services, leaving customers frustrated and prompting a flood of complaints on social media platforms like X.

Widespread Disruption and User Complaints

According to outage tracking platform Downdetector, over 3,600 reports of Airtel service issues were logged by 4:32 PM IST on August 18, with the number peaking at over 2,500 reports in the afternoon. The issues were widespread, with 56% of users reporting mobile call disruptions, 26% facing mobile internet problems, and 18% experiencing a complete loss of signal. Users in Delhi-NCR, particularly in areas like Greater Noida West, South Delhi, and Raghu Nagar, reported severe connectivity issues, including call drops, inability to make or receive calls, and weak or no network signals. Similar complaints emerged from other metro areas, with Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata among the affected cities.

Social media platforms, especially X, became a sounding board for frustrated Airtel users. One user in Delhi-NCR posted, “Airtel Network Down? No internet, no calls — facing a complete outage! Is anyone else experiencing the same issue with #Airtel today?” Another user from South Delhi reported, “Airtel network is not working, calls are not getting connected, it has been 4 hours and I am facing a lot of trouble.” In Bengaluru, users echoed similar sentiments, with one stating, “Airtel India is having issues since 09:50 PM IST in Bengaluru. No service on my Airtel SIM.” These posts reflect the widespread impact of the outage on both personal and professional activities, including disruptions to digital payments and work-from-home arrangements.

Airtel’s Response and Technical Glitch

Airtel acknowledged the outage in a statement posted on social media, attributing the disruption to a technical glitch. “We are currently experiencing a network outage, our team is actively working to resolve the issue and restore services promptly. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused,” the company said. A spokesperson further clarified, “Our customers from Delhi-NCR are experiencing some voice calling issues for the past hour or so. Significant part of the issue has already been resolved and our engineers are at work to resolve this fully. We deeply regret any inconvenience.” The company confirmed that the outage began around 3:30 PM IST and primarily affected voice services, though data and broadband connectivity were also impacted in some areas.

By late evening on August 18, Airtel reported that a major part of voice services had been restored, with engineers working to address residual issues. However, the company did not provide a specific timeline for full restoration or detailed reasons beyond the “technical outage” explanation.

Impact on Users and Services

The outage caused significant disruptions, particularly for users relying on Airtel for critical tasks. In Delhi-NCR, users reported being unable to make emergency calls or access UPI-based transactions, which have become integral to daily life in India. One user noted, “Airtel Down. With UPI being widely used for payments, this network issue is seriously affecting daily life.” Professionals working from home and students attending online classes were also affected, with complaints about dropped calls and slow internet speeds hampering productivity.

The outage was not limited to mobile services. Some users reported issues with Airtel’s broadband and Xstream Fiber services, with one user in Delhi-NCR stating, “Airtel Wi-Fi service down for 5 hours, please fix this issue asap.” These disruptions highlight the critical role Airtel plays in India’s digital infrastructure, serving over 490 million customers across mobile, broadband, and DTH services.

Context of Previous Outages

This is not the first time Airtel has faced network disruptions in 2025. On May 13, 2025, a similar outage affected Tamil Nadu and parts of Kerala, with over 8,400 reports logged on Downdetector. Users in Chennai, Coimbatore, and Thrissur reported a complete loss of voice services, though data services remained functional in some areas. Airtel resolved that issue overnight, citing a “temporary network disruption.” Another outage on December 26, 2024, impacted mobile and broadband services across cities like Gujarat, Delhi, and Mumbai, with 46% of users reporting a total blackout and 32% citing no signal.

These recurring outages have fueled customer dissatisfaction, with many taking to X to express frustration over Airtel’s service reliability. One user remarked, “Airtel is quick to remind us about recharges and validity, but where is the same urgency when it comes to service outages? This is unacceptable.” Others threatened to switch to competitors like Jio or Vodafone Idea if the issues persist.

Technical and Environmental Factors

Airtel’s Open Network portal suggests that network issues can stem from multiple factors, including network congestion, high indoor activity, or environmental conditions like weather, terrain, or foliage. The company’s coverage maps, which use advanced radio frequency prediction models, indicate that actual coverage may vary due to local geography or buildings. While Airtel is upgrading its 4G and 5G networks to reduce call drops and improve data speeds, these efforts have not fully mitigated the impact of large-scale outages like the one on August 18.

For users facing persistent issues, Airtel recommends checking the Open Network portal to report problems or diagnose connectivity issues. Customers can also dial 121114# (postpaid) or 1212# (prepaid) to check internet quotas or contact customer care at 121 or 198 for assistance.

Broader Implications

The outage comes at a time when Airtel is expanding its 5G network and competing fiercely with Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea in India’s telecom market. Despite its robust infrastructure, spanning 365,000+ route kilometers across 50 countries, Airtel’s recurring outages raise questions about network reliability and customer service. The company’s stock price, however, remained resilient, trading 1.05% higher at Rs 1,600.60 on the NSE on August 18, suggesting investor confidence despite the operational hiccup.

As India’s second-largest telecom provider, Airtel’s outages have a significant impact, particularly in urban centers like Delhi-NCR and Bengaluru, where connectivity is critical for business, education, and daily transactions. The company’s ability to address these issues promptly and transparently will be crucial to maintaining customer trust and market share.

Conclusion

The Airtel network outage on August 18, 2025, disrupted connectivity for thousands of users across Delhi-NCR and other major cities, highlighting the challenges of maintaining reliable telecom services in a digitally dependent nation. While Airtel has taken steps to resolve the issue and apologized for the inconvenience, the incident underscores the need for robust infrastructure and proactive communication to prevent future disruptions. Customers are advised to monitor Airtel’s Open Network portal for updates and report issues directly to ensure swift resolution.