Indian operator Bharti Airtel yesterday capped off strong Q3 growth with news that it has been awarded additional spectrum in 5 regional circles and is hopeful of doubling that number in the coming months. Bharti – India’s largest mobile operator with a 23% market share – saw sales and profit rise 42%. Net income climbed to 17.2 billion rupees (US$436 million) in the three months ended December 31, from 12.2 billion rupees a year earlier. The company claimed it added a record 6.29 million mobile subscribers during the quarter to end the year with 55.16 million customers, 73% higher than at the end of December 2006.

Meanwhile the company announced that the government has allotted it additional spectrum in 5 telecom circles in India; West Bengal, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh (west), Assam and Haryana. Bharti originally applied for additional spectrum in ten circles across the country – including Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Bihar and Tamil Nadu – and said it expects to receive the go ahead for the additional markets in the coming months. Bharti’s Joint Managing Director Akhil Gupta told CNBC TV-18 that the new spectrum “should ease the pressure on growth.”