Vodafone Idea

Last updated

Vodafone Idea Limited
Vi
Company typePrivate
Industry Telecommunications
Founded31 August 2018;5 years ago (2018-08-31)
Founder Vodafone
Idea
Headquarters Mumbai (Corp.) [1] [2]
Gandhinagar (Reg.)
Key people
[3] [4]
Products
RevenueIncrease2.svg42,765 crore (US$5.4 billion) [5]  (2024)
Increase2.svg16,850 crore (US$2.1 billion) [5]  (2024)
Decrease2.svg−31,238 crore (US$−3.9 billion) [5]  (2024)
Total assets Decrease2.svg184,997 crore (US$23 billion) [6]  (2024)
Total equity Decrease2.svg−104,166 crore (US$−13 billion) [6]  (2024)
Owners
Number of employees
15,604 (2023) [7]
Subsidiaries YOU Broadband
Website myvi.in

Vodafone Idea or Vi (stylised as V!) is an Indian mobile network operator with its headquarters based in Mumbai and Gandhinagar. [8] [9] It is an all-India integrated GSM operator offering 2G, 3G, 4G, LTE Advanced, VoLTE, and VoWiFi service. [10] As of 31 September 2023, Vi has a subscriber base of 219.8 million, [11] making it third largest mobile telecommunications network in India and 11th largest mobile telecommunications network in the world. [12] 'Vodafone Idea Limited' was created on 31 August 2018 by the merger of Vodafone India and Idea Cellular. In 2020, the two separate brands Vodafone and Idea rebranded as Vi. [13] [14] [15]

Contents

History

In March 2017, it was announced that Vodafone India and Idea Cellular would merge. The merger got approval from the Department of Telecommunications in July 2018. On 30 August 2018, National Company Law Tribunal gave the final nod to the Vodafone-Idea merger [16] It was completed on 31 August 2018, and the new entity was named Vodafone Idea Limited. [17] [18] [12] Under the terms of the deal, the Vodafone Group held a 45.2% stake in the combined entity, the Aditya Birla Group held 26% and the remaining shares were to be held by the public. [12]

Vi lost a significant number of gross and active subscribers in the month of August 2020. [19]

Until 7 September 2020, Vodafone Idea Limited operated two separate brands: [20] Vodafone and Idea who both operated pre-paid and post-paid GSM service. [21] [22]

On 3 February 2023, the Government of India ordered the company to convert its interest dues worth 161.33 billion Indian Rupees ($1.96 billion) to equity at the rate of 10 rupees per share face value (well over then market value ~8.5), thus making the government the single biggest shareholder in the company. [23]

Network

Spectrum frequency holding summary

Vi owns spectrum in 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz, 2500 MHz, 3500 MHz and 26 GHz bands across the country. [24]

Telecom circle coverageE-GSM/ FD-LTE
900MHz
Band 8
GSM / FD-LTE
1800MHz
Band 3
UMTS / FD-LTE
2100MHz
Band 1
TD-LTE
2300MHz
Band 40
TD-LTE
2500MHz
Band 41
TD-NR
3500MHz
Band n78
TD-NR
26GHz
Band n258
Delhi Yes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgDark Red x.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svg
Mumbai Yes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgDark Red x.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svg
Kolkata Yes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgDark Red x.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svg
Andhra Pradesh & Telangana Yes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgDark Red x.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svg
Gujarat Yes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgDark Red x.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svg
Karnataka Yes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgDark Red x.svgDark Red x.svgYes check.svgYes check.svg
Maharashtra & Goa Yes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svg
Tamil Nadu Yes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgDark Red x.svgDark Red x.svgYes check.svgYes check.svg
Haryana Yes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgDark Red x.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svg
Kerala Yes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svg
Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh Yes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svg
Punjab Yes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgDark Red x.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svg
Rajasthan Yes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgDark Red x.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svg
Uttar Pradesh (East) Yes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgDark Red x.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svg
Uttar Pradesh (West) Yes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgDark Red x.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svg
West Bengal Yes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgDark Red x.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svg
Assam Dark Red x.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgDark Red x.svgYes check.svgDark Red x.svgDark Red x.svg
Bihar & Jharkhand Dark Red x.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgDark Red x.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgDark Red x.svg
Himachal Pradesh Dark Red x.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgDark Red x.svgYes check.svgDark Red x.svgDark Red x.svg
Jammu and Kashmir & Ladakh Dark Red x.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgDark Red x.svgYes check.svgDark Red x.svgDark Red x.svg
North East Dark Red x.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgDark Red x.svgYes check.svgDark Red x.svgDark Red x.svg
Odisha Yes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgDark Red x.svgYes check.svgDark Red x.svgDark Red x.svg

This table contains Vi (Vodafone & Idea) radio frequency details because they had integrated their networks with each other and using one anchor network for both brands in all respective telecom circles. For example, Idea has started 4G services in Delhi and Kolkata telecom circle from May 2018 where the Vodafone is anchor network vice versa Vodafone has Started 4G services in Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh, Bihar & Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh & Telangana, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir telecom Circle's where Idea is Anchor network. [25] [26]

Network consolidation

By March 2019, Vi announced its network consolidation across major circles, easing network issues faced by consumers and also enhancing its 4G coverage. Announcements of Network Consolidation were made as below:

Enhanced Unified (2G, 3G, and 4G) coverage details

StateNo of Towns CoveredNo of Villages CoveredCoverage area %/km
Haryana [27] 145652099.5%
ROWB [28] 8783758597%
Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh [29] 6645313060%
Jammu and Kashmir [30] 1103301
AP & Telangana [31] 3911970092.5%
Bihar & Jharkhand [32] 4314350379%
HP [33] 5911929
NESA & Assam [34] 4391785041%

Enhanced LTE (4G) coverage details

StateNo of Towns CoveredNo of districts CoveredNo of Villages CoveredPopulation %
Haryana [27] 1372276.08%
ROWB [28] 8382778%
Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh [29] 6337752%
Jammu and Kashmir [30] 48952623.6%
AP & Telangana [31] 38123850067%
Bihar & Jharkhand [32] 343561993145.3%
HP [33] 458608243%
NESA & Assam [34] 34083420070%
Punjab [35] 227241016290%

Vi Movies & TV

As of September 2023, Vi Movies & TV app is currently available for Vi subscribers on Android (above Android 5.1) and iOS devices (10.0 and above versions). [36]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Celcom</span> Malaysian Telecommunications Company

Celcom Axiata Berhad is the oldest mobile telecommunications provider in Malaysia. Celcom is a member of the Axiata group of companies. Celcom was merged with Digi to form CelcomDigi on 1 December 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">3G</span> Third generation of wireless mobile telecommunications technology

3G is the third generation of wireless mobile telecommunications technology. It is the upgrade to 2G, 2.5G, GPRS and 2.75G Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution networks, offering faster data transfer, and better voice quality. This network was superseded by 4G, and later by 5G. This network is based on a set of standards used for mobile devices and mobile telecommunications services and networks that comply with the International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 (IMT-2000) specifications set by the International Telecommunication Union. 3G is used in wireless voice telephony, mobile Internet access, fixed wireless Internet access, video calls and mobile TV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vodafone</span> British multinational telecommunications company

Vodafone Group Plc is a British multinational telecommunications company. Its registered office and global headquarters are in Newbury, Berkshire, England. It predominantly operates services in Asia, Africa, Europe, and Oceania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reliance Communications</span> Indian telecommunications company

Reliance Communications Limited (RCOM) was an Indian mobile network provider headquartered in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra that offered voice and 2G and 3G and 4G data services. In February 2019, the company filed for bankruptcy as it was unable to sell assets to repay its debt. It has an estimated debt of 500 billion against assets worth 180 billion.

Vodafone Limited, trading as Vodafone UK, is a British telecommunications company, owned by Vodafone Group, the world's eighth-largest telecommunications company. Vodafone is the third-largest mobile network operator in the United Kingdom, with 18.6 million subscribers as of May 2024, after O2 and EE, followed by Three. The country's first cellular phone call was made on the Vodafone network in 1985.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ufone</span> Pakistani cellular service provider

Pak Telecommunication Mobile Limited or Ufone is a Pakistani GSM cellular service provider. It is the third mobile operator to enter Pakistani market. It started its operations under the brand Ufone, in Islamabad on January 29, 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bharti Airtel</span> Indian multinational telecommunications company

Bharti Airtel Limited, commonly known as Airtel, is an Indian multinational telecommunications services company based in New Delhi. It operates in 18 countries across South Asia and Africa, as well as the Channel Islands. Currently, Airtel provides 5G, 4G and LTE Advanced services throughout India. Currently offered services include fixed-line broadband, and voice services depending upon the country of operation. Airtel had also rolled out its Voice over LTE (VoLTE) technology across all Indian telecom circles. It is the second largest mobile network operator in India and the second largest mobile network operator in the world. Airtel was named India's 2nd most valuable brand in the first ever Brandz ranking by Millward Brown and WPP plc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BSNL Mobile</span> Division of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited

BSNL Mobile is an Indian state-owned telecommunication company of the Government of India. BSNL Mobile operates under the BSNL brand and provides wireless cellular services to B2B, B2C, & B2G segments in India. BSNL Mobile has a pan-India presence with presence in all the 22 telecom circles in India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spark New Zealand Mobile</span> UMTS and LTE mobile network run by Spark New Zealand

The XT Network was a brand name for a UMTS and LTE mobile network run by Spark New Zealand . The network was initially built nationwide on WCDMA/UMTS 850 MHz, with 2100 MHz infill in major urban areas. The UMTS network is HSPA+ enabled, with a maximum downlink transmission rate of 21.1 Mbit/s and an uplink rate of 5.2 Mbit/s attainable for capable hardware. HSPA+ has a theoretical maximum of 56 Mbit/s download speed and 22 Mbit/s upload speed. Then under Spark 4G LTE is being built out. The network is not 2G capable, Telecom never operated a public GSM network.

Vodafone India was the Indian subsidiary of UK-based Vodafone Group and was a provider of Telecommunications services in India with its operational head office in Mumbai. As of March 2018, Vodafone India had a market share of 21% and with its merger with Idea, the collective Vodafone Idea (Vi) network has approximately 375 million subscribers and is the Third largest mobile telecommunications network in India.

3G mobile telephony was relatively slow to be adopted globally. In some instances, 3G networks do not use the same radio frequencies as 2G so mobile operators must build entirely new networks and license entirely new frequencies, especially so to achieve high data transmission rates. Other delays were due to the expenses of upgrading transmission hardware, especially for UMTS, whose deployment required the replacement of most broadcast towers. Due to these issues and difficulties with deployment, many carriers delayed acquisition of these updated capabilities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SmarTone</span>

SmarTone Telecommunications Holdings Limited (0315.HK), listed in Hong Kong since 1996 and a subsidiary of Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited, is a leading telecommunications provider with operating subsidiaries in Hong Kong and Macau, offering voice, multimedia and mobile broadband services, as well as fixed fibre broadband services for both consumer and corporate markets. SmarTone spearheaded 5G development in Hong Kong since May 2020, with the launch of its territory-wide 5G services. SmarTone is also the first in Hong Kong to launch Home 5G Broadband service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Airtel India</span> Indian telecommunications company

Airtel India commonly known as Airtel, is the second largest provider of mobile telephony and third largest provider of fixed telephony in India, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services. The brand is operated by several subsidiaries of Bharti Airtel, with Bharti Hexacom and Bharti Telemedia providing broadband fixed line services and Bharti Infratel providing telecom passive infrastructure service such as telecom equipment and telecom towers. Currently, Airtel provides 5G, 4G and 4G+ services all over India. Currently offered services include fixed-line broadband, and voice services depending upon the country of operation. Airtel had also rolled out its VoLTE technology across all Indian telecom circles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jio</span> Indian telecommunications company

Jio is an Indian telecommunications company and a subsidiary of Jio Platforms, headquartered in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra. It operates a national LTE network with coverage across all 22 telecom circles. Jio offers 5G, 4G and 4G+ services all over India and 5G service almost All Over India. Its 6G service is in the works.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jazz (mobile network operator)</span> Pakistani telecommunications company

Pakistan Mobile Communications Limited (PMCL), doing business as Jazz, (Urdu: جاز) is Pakistan's largest mobile network and internet services provider formed by the merger of Mobilink and Warid Pakistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">3 Hong Kong</span>

3 Hong Kong is a telecommunications and internet service provider operating in Hong Kong by Hutchison Telecommunications Hong Kong Holdings, a subsidiary of CK Hutchison, operating under the global Three brand. 3 Hong Kong is the first Three-branded company, leading to the development of other operations in different locations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Idea Cellular</span> Former Indian telecommunications company

Idea Cellular (commonly referred to as Idea was an Indian mobile network operator based at Mumbai, Maharashtra. Idea was a pan-India integrated GSM operator and had 220.00 million subscribers as of June 2018. Idea Cellular merged with Vodafone and is now known as Vodafone Idea or Vi.

Vodafone Australia is an Australian telecommunications brand providing mobile and fixed broadband services. Vodafone’s mobile network covers more than 23 million Australians, and Vodafone has commenced the rollout of its 5G mobile network. Vodafone NBN fixed broadband services are available in capital cities and selected regional centres. Vodafone is the third-largest wireless carrier in Australia, with 5.8 million subscribers as of 2020.

References

  1. investor-relations, Vodafone Idea Limited
  2. investor support, Vodafone Idea Limited
  3. Livemint (3 August 2022). "Vodafone Idea names Ravinder Takkar as Chairman, Himanshu Kapania to step down". mint. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  4. "Kumar Mangalam Birla back as non-executive director of Vodafone Idea, 2 years after his exit". moneycontrol.com. 20 April 2023. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 "Vodafone Idea Limited Consolidated Profit & Loss account, Vodafone Idea Limited Financial Statement & Accounts" (PDF). www.bseindia.com. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  6. 1 2 "Vodafone Idea Limited Consolidated Balance Sheet, Vodafone Idea Limited Financial Statement & Accounts" (PDF). www.moneycontrol.com. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  7. "Annual Report 2022-23" (PDF). myvi.in. 16 August 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  8. "India's Idea Cellular Will Use Nokia's Cloud Core". SDxCentral. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  9. "Vodafone Mini Stores in Mumbai Will Now Facilitate Tata Power Bill Payments via M-Pesa e-wallet - MySmartPrice News". MySmartPrice. 8 August 2018. Archived from the original on 4 September 2018. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  10. "Vi WiFi Calling | Get Clear Voice Calls with Vi WiFi Calling". www.myvi.in.
  11. "Q4-Report-FY 2023 By Vodafone Idea Limited". 6 August 2020.
  12. 1 2 3 "Disclosure under Regulation 30 of SEBI (LODR) Regulations, 2015" (PDF). BSE. Retrieved 31 August 2018.[ permanent dead link ]
  13. "Vodafone Idea re-brands itself 'Vi'". The Indian Express. 7 September 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  14. Vodafone Idea Limited, Vi. "Vodafone and Idea brands are now "Vi"" (PDF).
  15. "Vodafone Idea rebrands itself, to go by brand name Vi". Zee News. 7 September 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  16. Parbat, Kalyan; Sengupta, Devina (31 August 2018). "NCLT gives go-ahead to Idea-Vodafone merger". The Economic Times. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  17. Guha, Romit (20 March 2017). "Idea approves merger with Vodafone India, to create India's largest telco". The Economic Times. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  18. Kurup, Rajesh (20 March 2017). "Idea Cellular board approves merger with Vodafone India; shares tank 9%". The Hindu Business Line. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  19. "Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio Add Subscribers In August, Vi Lags". BloombergQuint. 12 November 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  20. Staff Writer (7 September 2020). "Vodafone and Idea are now 'Vi'". Livemint. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  21. "Vodafone idea postpaid services consolidated". The Economics time Telecom. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  22. "Vodafone idea will drop idea brand from postpaid service's". The Economics time. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  23. "India asks Vodafone Idea to convert nearly $2 bln in govt dues into equity". Reuters. 3 February 2023. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  24. Pan India Telecom Spectrum holding chart 2022 (updated), Only Tech, 25 March 2020, retrieved 7 October 2022
  25. Idea Cellular 4G Services Now Live in Delhi With Vodafone Network, Telecom Talk, retrieved 15 July 2018
  26. Idea to launch VoLTE in March, inks 4G ICR agreement with Vodafone, ET Telecom, retrieved 15 July 2018
  27. 1 2 www.ETTelecom.com. "Vodafone Idea completes radio network consolidation in Haryana - ET Telecom". ETTelecom.com. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  28. 1 2 www.ETTelecom.com. "Vodafone Idea completes radio network consolidation in rest of West Bengal - ET Telecom". ETTelecom.com. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  29. 1 2 "Vodafone Idea Successfully Completes Radio Network Consolidation In Madhya Pradesh And Chhattisgarh". Communications Today. 8 March 2019. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  30. 1 2 "Vodafone Idea completes network integration in J&K". The Economic Times. 2 March 2019. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  31. 1 2 "Vodafone Idea completes radio network consolidation in AP & Telangana". @businessline. 19 February 2019. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  32. 1 2 Dua, Priyanka (24 February 2019). "Vodafone Idea radio network integration in Bihar, Jharkhand". Gizbot. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  33. 1 2 www.ETTelecom.com. "Vodafone Idea completes radio network consolidation in Punjab - ET Telecom". ETTelecom.com. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  34. 1 2 www.ETTelecom.com. "Vodafone Idea completes radio network consolidation in NESA & Assam - ET Telecom". ETTelecom.com. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  35. "Radio Network Consolidation In Punjab" (PDF). Vodafoneidea.com. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  36. "Vi Movies & TV: Watch Live TV, TV Shows & Movies Online".