Both the incumbents changed their subscriber definition and plan to focus on revenue-generating users, who will go for a minimum recharge plan every month. Earlier, in one recharge, a subscriber could receive incoming calls for six months. No doubt, the incumbents are moving cautiously to improve their Arpus, and subsequently revenues through such measures.

Reliance Jio continued to top the average 4G download speed chart, beating its nearest rival Airtel with almost double data speed, according to a report by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) for January.

Jio’s 4G network registered an average download speed of 18.8 megabits per second (Mbps), while Airtel network clocked a speed of 9.5 Mbps.

In its second quarterly results after the merger, Vodafone Idea (VIL) posted a net loss of Rs 5,004 crore, which was higher than Street estimates.

The December quarter loss was higher than the previous quarter, when the firm had posted a loss of Rs 4,974 crore, primarily on account of network-expansion costs. The telco lost 35 million customers during the quarter. The average revenue per user (Arpu), however, improved.

The board of the country’s largest telecom operator by subscribers but financially the weakest, Vodafone Idea on Wednesday approved the proposal to raise up to `25,000 crore, a major portion of which will come from the promoters, Vodafone Plc and the Aditya Birla Group.

According to the company’s filing with stock exchanges, the funds will be raised through a rights issue and the infusion is expected to happen by March.

The Supreme Court on Friday sought response from the income tax department as to why it should not refund around Rs 4,761 crore to Vodafone Idea in respect of returns for assessment years (AYs) 2014-15 to 2017-18.

Stating that such inaction in granting refunds has caused grave financial hardships, Vodafone said that its financial condition is precarious as it has accumulated losses of rS 5,557 crore and debts amounting to Rs 53,000 crore as on March 31, 2017.

The top two incumbent operators — Vodafone Idea and Bharti Airtel — have lost over 24 million subscribers in just three months as the telcos try to weed out low revenue paying customers from their network.

The country’s largest mobile operator by subscriber, Vodafone Idea lost around 20.57 million subscribers in September to November period whereas Bharti Airtel was leaner by 4.22 million users during September and October.

New Delhi: Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd has wrested market share from Bharti Airtel Ltd and Vodafone Idea Ltd, as the relatively new entrant in the telecom sector continued to add a large number of users even as its bigger rivals lost customers. Reliance Jio added 10.5 million users in October while Vodafone Idea and Airtel lost 7.3 million and 1.8 million users, respectively, according to data released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) on Wednesday.

Stiff competition in the telecom sector has led to another rough year for the sector’s stocks. The shares of Vodafone Idea have been hit the hardest with the stock moving into the unenviable league of the worst-performing one in the MSCI Asia Pacific Index in 2018.

Last year, the shares of Vodafone Idea were down 65 per cent. Data compiled by Bloomberg shows the stock of the telecom major was among the top 5 losers in the regional index in local currency terms.

Shares of telecom services provider such as Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea have rallied by up to 6% on BSE in an otherwise subdued market after Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) quashes Trai's predatory pricing rule. Bharti Airtel has rallied 10% to Rs 333, while Vodafone Idea climbed 8% to Rs 37.60 on BSE in the intra-day trade.

Given that Vodafone Idea needs to fork out about half the telecom industry’s annual deferred spectrum payments between now and 2031, it’s not surprising that chairman KM Birla is calling on the government for some relief.

Nearly half or Rs 10,579 crore of the Rs 21,218 crore to be paid out in 2018-19 is Vodafone Idea’s share. In comparison, Bharti Airtel’s annual outgo is smaller at Rs 5,573 crore.

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