The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has approved the merger of Tata Teleservices Limited’s (TTSL) consumer mobility business with Bharti Airtel.

The final approval comes two years after the two companies announced their merger.

In October 2017, the Tata group had announced that it would sell its consumer mobile business to Bharti Airtel on a debt-free, cash-free basis, except for it assuming a fraction of the unpaid spectrum fees that the Tata group owes to the DoT.

Under the deal signed in 2017, Airtel absorbed TTSL’s operations across the country in 19 circles (17 under Tata Teleservices and two under Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) Limited).

The deal provides Airtel an indefeasible right to use part of the existing fibre network of the Tata companies.