Bharti Airtel has dominated the Indian telecom market in terms of revenue in the first quarter of 2018-19 against Vodafone Idea and Reliance Jio.
The combined revenue of Idea Cellular and Vodafone is Rs 13,555 crore as compared with Airtel’s quarterly revenue of Rs 14,930 crore.
Vodafone Idea has generated revenue from mobile, fixed line phone services and enterprise businesses. Airtel generated revenue from mobile, fixed line phone and broadband, DTH and enterprise businesses.
Reliance Jio is the third largest Indian telecom operator with quarterly revenue of Rs 8,109 crore.
Vodafone Idea will be India’s largest mobile operator in terms of the number of subscribers with nearly 408 million subscribers. Airtel has 344.553432 million on its 2G, 3G and 4G networks in India.
Vodafone Idea will be the leading mobile service provider in India’s 12 circles. Airtel will be heading in 10 circles and will be behind Reliance Jio in 3 circles.
Q1 REVENUE
Airtel — Rs 14,930 crore
Vodafone Idea — Rs 13,555 crore
Reliance Jio — Rs 8,109 crore
Idea Cellular said it has added 5,688 broadband sites — 3G and 4G networks – as part of the strategy to enhance wireless broadband infrastructure during the quarter. Vodafone India has added 4,900 4G sites during the quarter. Reliance Jio did not reveal its Capex spending and the number of sites being added.
Idea Cellular said the number of broadband sites increased from 117,386 in June, 2017 to 160,598 sites in June, 2018. The total number of network sites reached 291,555 sites on GSM, 3G and 4G. The wireless broadband coverage reached 662 million Indians spread across 171,000 towns and villages in 22 service areas.
Airtel said the number of network towers increased to 167,355 from 165,748. Airtel India’s broadband towers rose to 146,428 from 144,708. Airtel India’s mobile broadband base stations increased to 320,204 from 298,014. Airtel’s India Capex for mobile services was Rs 6,935 crore (+37 percent) in Q1 2018-19.
Vodafone India has 30.9 million customers on its 4G network. Idea Cellular has nearly 41 million wireless broadband subscribers on 3G and 4G networks. Idea did not reveal the number of 4G subscribers.
The monthly ARPU of Idea Cellular fell to Rs 100 in Q1 2018-19 from Rs 105 in Q4 2017-18. Vodafone earlier said its contract ARPU declined 20 percent and prepaid ARPU by 28 percent in the first quarter.
Airtel India’s monthly ARPU from mobile services decreased 8.8 percent quarter on quarter and 31.8 percent year on year to INR 105 or $1.6.
Baburajan K
