Tag: bharti airtel

Telecom Subscriber Base Rise Marginally to 1,170.75 Million in Jan 2023: TRAI

The telecom subscriber base in the country grew marginally to 1,170.75 million in January, driven by net customer gain in the fixed line segment, according to a sector regulator TRAI report released on Friday.

The net gain in the wireline segment was 0.28 million customers while mobile telephony recorded a net gain of 0.09 million subscribers.

Even though Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel jointly added 0.29 million new customers, the gain was offset by BSNL and Vodafone Idea (VIL) losing 0.28 million customers.

“The number of telephone subscribers in India increased from 1,170.38 million at the end of December 2022 to 1,170.75 million at the end of January 2023, thereby showing a monthly growth rate of 0.03 percent,” the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India said in the subscriber report for the month of January 2023.

The wireline or fixed line connections in the country increased to 27.73 million in January from 27.45 million in December.

The growth in the wireline segment was driven by Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Quadrant, which added 0.21 million, 0.11 million and 5,949 customers, respectively.

State-owned MTNL was the biggest loser in the segment as it lost 29,857 customers. It was followed by BSNL, which lost 19,781 wireline customers, Tata Teleservices 9,444, VIL 3,727 and Reliance Communications 275 customers.

In the mobile telephony or wireless segment, Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel added 1.65 million and 1.28 million customers, respectively. BSNL, VIL and MTNL mitigated the growth in the segment by losing 1.48 million, 1.35 million and 2,960 mobile subscribers, respectively.

The broadband subscriber base in the country grew to 839.18 million in January from 832.2 million in December.

“Top five service providers constituted 98.39 per cent market share of the total broadband subscribers at the end of January-23. These service providers were Reliance Jio Infocomm (434.02 million), Bharti Airtel (237.40 million), Vodafone Idea (125.03 million), BSNL (27.05 million) and Atria Convergence (2.14 million),” TRAI said.

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Airtel Rolls Out New Family Postpaid Plans Bundled With Data, Streaming Websites

Bharti Airtel has rolled out various family plans offering monthly data in the range of 105-320 GB as it looks to attract prepaid users to switch to postpaid connections.

The new family plans uploaded on the company website are in the range of Rs. 599 to Rs. 1,499 per month, while Black family plans, that bundles DTH and fixed broadband service, are in the range of Rs. 799 to Rs. 2,299 per month.

A company official told PTI that the new plans are aimed at attracting prepaid customers to switch to postpaid whereby family members will be able to optimally use the data limit, calls, SMS bundled in a plan.

Out of the total mobile subscriber base of 332 million, the company had 5.4 percent postpaid users on its network in the December 2022 quarter.

The postpaid customer base of Bharti Airtel grew by about 8 percent on a year-on-year basis to 18.9 million as of December 31, 2022.

These new family plans allow bundling 2-5 mobile phone connections under one plan.

Airtel has bundled Amazon Prime subscription for six months and Disney+Hotstar for 1 year while it is offering Netflix in the higher price plans.

“Generally prepaid users within the family are unable to consume the entire data. The bundling of OTT services will help them optimise their expenses,” the official said.

In the Black Family Plans, Airtel has bundled DTH service in the entry-level plan starting at Rs. 799 per month, broadband connection with 2 mobile postpaid connections for Rs. 998 and under the Rs. 2,299 plan, the company has bundled 4 postpaid connections with DTH and broadband service.

The official said while the plans will make efficient use of the services, the company expects to gain in terms of average revenue per user (ARPU) from family plan subscribers.

Bharti Airtel ARPU, a key growth matrix, was at Rs. 193 in December 2022 quarter.

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Reliance Jio Expects to Become Largest Player in 5G Sector in 2023, Says Company’s President

India’s biggest telecom operator Reliance Jio expects to become the world’s largest player having a pure 5G network this year with promise to provide services at affordable rates to the masses, a senior official of the company said here.

Speaking to the PTI at the Mobile World Congress, Reliance Jio President Mathew Oommen said India needs inclusive growth and Jio will continue to support it.

“Jio will be the largest 5G SA (standalone) only network operator in the world in the second half of 2023, ensuring that all advanced services and capabilities are available affordably to the masses,” Oommen said.

He was responding to questions around the company’s 5G roll out plan and Jio’s competitor Bharti Airtel pushing for an increase in mobile call and data services price. Jio has focussed on rolling out 5G SA while Bharti Airtel is rolling out 5G (NSA) non-standalone network which can provide a mix of 5G and 4G services.

“India needs inclusive growth. Jio will continue to support India’s inclusive growth,” Oommen said.

Bharti Airtel Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal earlier this week said mobile call and data rates will go up this year as the return on capital in the telecom business is very low.

Airtel had last month increased the price of its minimum recharge or the entry-level for the 28-day mobile phone service plan by about 57 percent to Rs. 155 in eight circles.

Oommen did not elaborate further on the statement.

Jio has rolled out its 5G network in over 300 cities while Airtel has network in over 140 cities. 

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Reliance Jio Leads Wireline Segment in December 2022 With Nearly 3 Lakh New Customers

Telecom subscriber base rose marginally to 1,170.38 million in December 2022 on account of an increase in fixed line connections, according to official data.

The total subscriber base in the country was at 1,170.17 million in November last year.

“The number of telephone subscribers in India increased from 1,170.18 million at the end of November to 1,170.38 million at the end of December, thereby showing a monthly growth rate of 0.02 percent,” telecom regulator TRAI said in its monthly subscriber report for December 2022 released on Thursday.

Wireline subscribers increased to 27.45 million in December from 27.13 million in November, with a net increase of 0.32 million in the wireline subscriber base.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) report showed that the growth in the wireline segment was driven by Reliance Jio with an addition of 2,92,411 new customers. Bharti Airtel added 1,46,643 new landline customers, BSNL (13,189) and Quadrant (6,355).

State-owned MTNL lost 1,10,168 fixed line customers in December while Vodafone Idea lost 15,920 fixed line customers, Reliance Communications (6,292) and Tata Teleservices (5,849).

The mobile subscriber base in the country declined marginally to 1,142.93 million in December from 1,143.04 million in November.

The growth in the wireless segment was adversely impacted with Vodafone Idea (VIL) losing 2.47 million subscribers.

While Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel added 1.7 million and 1.52 million new customers, respectively, the loss of subscribers of Vi, BSNL (8,76,429), MTNL (3,450) and Reliance Communications (214) hindered the growth in the wireless segment.

The broadband subscriber base grew marginally to 832.2 million in December from 825.38 million in November, with mobile devices accounting for 798.69 million customers in the segment.

“Top five service providers constituted 98.41 percent market share of the total broadband subscribers at the end of December-22. These service providers were Reliance Jio Infocomm (432.16 million), Bharti Airtel (234.46 million), Vodafone Idea (123.87 million), BSNL (26.35 million) and Atria Convergence (2.14 million),” the report said.

 

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DoT Said to Have Directed TRAI to Introduce Strict Service Quality Norms

The Department of Telecommunications has asked sector regulator TRAI to make quality of service norms stricter in order to curb call drops and improve call quality, an official source said on Tuesday.

The move comes after the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) collected feedback from the public through an IVRS call around call drop, quality of calls etc.

“Quality of service is very important for customer satisfaction and protection of their interests. DoT has requested TRAI for improvement in the present quality of service (QoS) through more stringent parameters,” an official said.

The source said that the DoT also observed few key performance indicators while broadly studying global best practices on QoS.

“Same has been shared with Trai today,” the source added.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has called a meeting with telcos on February 17 to discuss measures and action plan for improving service quality, review of norms, benchmarks for 5G services, and unsolicited commercial communications.

The move is aimed at improving the telecom service quality and check call drops. It also comes at a time when ultra high speed 5G services are being rolled out across the country.

So far, 5G services have been launched in over 300 cities in India. The next generation of technology that promises turbocharged speeds (about 10 times faster than 4G) and low latency connectivity.

Issues around service quality have been in the spotlight over the last few months. The telecom department back in December met operators to discuss rising instances of call drops and service quality-related issues, as it deliberated on policy measures that can be considered for improving call quality.

Launch of 5G services was expected to improve call quality, but instead people have complained about deterioration in quality of service.

According to an online survey by LocalCircles released in mid-January, 42 percent of 5G subscribers surveyed report no improvement while 19 percent report deterioration in call connection and call drop issues after moving to 5G services.

Half of the respondents in the survey shared that they face call connection and call drop issues with over 25 percent of their calls and 28 percent of them claim they have issues with over 50 percent of their calls.

Telecom operator Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel have been rolling out 5G services across the country.

State-run BSNL and debt-ridden Vodafone Idea are yet to roll out 5G services. 

 

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Airtel Rolls Out 5G in Kozhikode, Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur; Service Now Live in 4 Cities in Kerala

Leading telecom firm Bharti Airtel on Friday launched its 5G services in Kozhikode, Thiruvananthapuram and Thrissur. The company mentioned in a statement that its 5G services are already live in Kochi. Airtel 5G Plus services will be available to customers in a phased manner as the company continues to construct its network and complete the roll-out.

Airtel said its customers with fifth-generation mobile system (5G)-enabled devices will enjoy high-speed Airtel 5G Plus network at no extra cost until the roll-out is more widespread. The company will augment its network in due course of time, making its services available across many other locations in these cities.

Amit Gupta, Chief Operating Officer, Bharti Airtel-Kerala, said, “I am thrilled to announce the launch of Airtel 5G Plus in Kozhikode, Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram) and Thrissur in addition to Kochi. Airtel customers in these four cities can now experience ultrafast network and enjoy speeds up to 20-30 times faster than the current 4G speeds.”

Gupta said the company is in the process of lighting up the entire city which will allow customers to enjoy superfast access to high-definition video-streaming, gaming, multiple chatting, instant uploading of photos and more.

In Thiruvananthapuram, Airtel’s 5G services will be available in Vazhuthakkad, Thampanoor, East fort, Palayam, Pattom, Kazhakoottam, Vattiyoorkavu, Pappanamcode, Kovalam, Vizhinjam and Valiyavila.

In Kozhikode, Airtel customers in Nadakkave, Palayam, Kallayi, West Hill, Kuttichira, Eranhipaalam, Meenchanda, Thondayad, Malaparamaba, Elathur and Kunnamangalam have now access to 5G services.

Citizens at Ramavarmapuram, Thrissur Round, East Fort, Koorkenchery, Olarikara, Ollur, Mannuthy and Nadathara in Thrissur district have access to Airtel’s 5G services.

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TRAI to Meet Jio, Airtel and Other Telcos on February 17 to Discuss Plan for Improvement in Services

Telecom regulator TRAI has called a meeting with telcos on February 17 to discuss measures and action plan for improving service quality, review of norms, benchmarks for 5G services, and unsolicited commercial communications.

The meeting assumes significance as improvement in telecom service quality is bound to cheer mobile customers, irked by call drops and patchy networks. It also comes at a time when ultra high speed 5G services are rolling out across the country.

So far, as many as 200 cities in India have seen launch of 5G services, the next generation of technology that promises turbocharged speeds (about 10 times faster than 4G) and low latency connectivity.

Issues around service quality have been in the spotlight over the last few months. The Telecom Department back in December met operators to discuss rising instances of call drops and service quality-related issues, as it deliberated on policy measures that can be considered for improving call quality.

In a statement on Thursday, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) said that quality of service (QoS) improvement “is an ongoing exercise, it requires close assessment and monitoring especially with the fast-paced network expansion and introduction of latest technology like 5G.” Accordingly, TRAI has called a meeting with telecom service providers on February 17, 2023, “to discuss measures and action plan for improvement in QoS, review of QoS standards, QoS of 5G services and unsolicited commercial communications”.

India, the world’s second largest smartphone market, had over 114 crore mobile subscribers as of November 2022. Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea are the key players.

TRAI monitors performance of various connectivity services provided by telecom operators by collecting Performance Monitoring Report (PMR) on quarterly basis. The PMRs are published on the TRAI website, and the regulator also conducts audits and assessments to gauge the performance of the service providers in respect of the prescribed QoS benchmark.

“Regular interactions are held with concerned stakeholders through meetings, consultation papers and open house discussion to review the status of QoS and measures to further improve the consumer experience,” the TRAI statement said.

On December 28, the Department of Telecom had held discussions with telcos to identify policy and operational measures that can help improve the quality of telecom services in the country.

That meeting was chaired by Telecom Secretary K Rajaraman and attended by telecom service providers, including Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea.

The issue of interference from illegal boosters and Right of Way (RoW) challenges had come up for discussion then, and operators had made a detailed presentation to the government on current levels of service quality against stipulated benchmarks.

After those parleys, industry sources had said the DoT flagged consumer complaints on service quality at the meeting, and added that companies maintained that quality of service norms were being met. The industry also mentioned locations that are facing specific problems, due to signal interference or other factors.

In September this year, Communications Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw indicated that telecom service quality parameters could be made more stringent and tighter, possibly to the extent of 3-4 times.

The minister had exhorted the industry, including telecom operators and infrastructure providers, to move “full steam ahead” on improving the quality of services in the country, now that a slew of reforms have been announced and more are being proposed.

“You can’t clap with only one hand, both hands are needed. It cannot be that just we keep doing what you ask. You also have to do what we ask,” Vaishnaw had said at that time.

“I will be requesting the (Telecom) Department to send a new consultation paper to TRAI for significantly increasing the quality of service parameters almost making 3X or 4X of what it is today, so whatever is the quality of service we are seeing, should now improve significantly,” Vaishnaw had said at the industry event on September 14. 

 

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Reliance Jio, Airtel Mobile Users Tally Increased in November, While Vodafone Idea Faces Loss: TRAI

Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel cumulatively gained nearly 25 lakh mobile subscribers in November even as troubled Vodafone Idea lost nearly 18.3 lakh customers, according to data by sector regulator TRAI. India’s largest telco Reliance Jio cemented its lead in the market adding 14.26 lakh net subscribers in November, whereas Airtel added 10.56 lakh users.

At the end of November 2022, Jio’s mobile subscriber tally stood at 42.28 crore, the levels rising from 42.13 crore during the previous month.

Bharti Airtel’s subscriber gains pushed up the mobile user count of the Sunil Mittal-led company to 36.60 crore in November.

In sharp contrast, cash-strapped Vodafone Idea lost 18.27 lakh subscribers during the month in reference, tempering its subscriber base to 24.37 crore in November.

As per TRAI data, the total broadband subscribers increased to 82.53 crore at the end of November 2022 with a monthly growth rate of 0.47 percent.

The top five service providers constituted over 98 percent market share at the end of November 2022.

The list included Reliance Jio (43 crore), Bharti Airtel (23 crore), Vodafone Idea (12.3 crore), and BSNL (2.6 crore), amongst others.

As on November 2022, the top five wired broadband service providers were Reliance Jio (73.8 lakh), Bharti Airtel (55.6 lakh), BSNL (40.2 lakh), Atria Convergence Technologies (21.4 lakh) and Hathway Cable & Datacom (11.3 lakh).

The top five wireless broadband service providers were Reliance Jio (42.28 crore), Bharti Airtel (22.5 crore), Vodafone Idea (12.34 crore), BSNL (2.18 crore), and Intech Online (2.3 lakh), according to TRAI’s latest subscription data.

Total wireless subscribers decreased to 1,143.04 million at the end of November 2022, from 1,143.63 million at the end of October 2022, sliding 0.05 percent.

“Monthly growth rates of urban and rural wireless subscription were 0.24 percent and -0.39 per cent respectively,” it said.

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Airtel Hikes Basic Tariffs in Seven Regions by Nearly 57 Percent to Increase Average Revenue per User

Bharti Airtel, India’s No. 2 telecom carrier by subscribers, has introduced a new entry level plan at Rs. 155 in seven regions, the company’s spokesperson said on Tuesday, effectively raising basic tariffs by nearly 57 percent.

The new plan was introduced in regions including the states of Karnataka, Bihar and Rajasthan, after discontinuing the existing tariffs of Rs. 99, the spokesperson added.

The company had late last year introduced the new plan on a trial basis in the states of Odisha and Haryana.

Telecom firms were widely expected to hike tariffs to shore up revenues after having spent billions of dollars in the country’s 5G auction last year.

Airtel’s average revenue per user (ARPU), a key performance indicator for telecom firms, was Rs. 190 in the September-quarter, a 3.8 percent sequential rise and a roughly 24 percent year-on-year increase.

The ARPU needed to be at Rs. 200 and ultimately at Rs. 300 for a financially healthy business model, Airtel said in November 2021, when it last raised tariffs.

Larger rival Reliance Jio, the telecom arm of billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries, had ARPU at Rs. 177.2 in the September quarter which rose slightly to Rs. 178.2 in the December quarter.

Jio, which disrupted the industry with cut-price rates in 2016, has not yet raised tariffs in over a year.

Airtel is scheduled to report its third-quarter results on February 7.

© Thomson Reuters 2023

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Jio, Airtel Added More Subscribers Month-on-Month in September, Vi Saw Decline, TRAI Data Shows

India’s total mobile subscriber base fell by 3.6 million in September, with Vodafone Idea suffering a subscriber count decline even as larger rivals Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel added users month-on-month, according to telecom regulator’s data. India’s largest mobile operator Jio further cemented its position in the market, adding 7,20,000 wireless subscribers during September, while Bharti Airtel increased its mobile users’ tally by 4,12,000.

Notably, while Jio led peers in September subscriber additions, its net adds this time was lower than the 32,81,000 subscribers the telco had gained in August.

Ailing Vodafone Idea faced a subscriber count decline (by 40,00,000), its base shrank to 24.91 crore during September.

“Total wireless subscribers decreased from 1,149.11 million at the end of August 22 to 1,145.45 million at the end of September 22, thereby registering a monthly decline rate of 0.32 percent,” Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) said releasing subscription data for September.

Overall, the number of telephone subscribers number in India (mobile and fixed-line together) decreased to about 117.19 crore at the end of September 2022, translating to a monthly decline rate of 0.27 percent.

TRAI said the total broadband subscribers rose to 81.6 crore at the end of September 2022, with a monthly growth rate of 0.28 percent.

The top five service providers constituted 98.36 percent market share of the total broadband subscribers at the end of September 2022.

“These service providers were Reliance Jio (426.80 million), Bharti Airtel (225.09 million), Vodafone Idea (123.20 million), BSNL (25.62 million), and Atria Convergence (2.14 million),” TRAI said.

Back in August, Reliance Jio toppled state-run BSNL to become the largest fixed-line service provider in the country, according to a TRAI report. It was the first time since the beginning of telecom services in the country that a private operator had gained the top position in the wireline segment.

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