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Tag: Airtel

  • Airtel’s festive surprise: Unwrapping Zee5’s entertainment treasure trove

    Airtel’s festive surprise: Unwrapping Zee5’s entertainment treasure trove

    MUMBAI: Just when you thought Santa was saving his best for Christmas, Airtel decided to beat him to it!

    In a move as delightful as unwrapping your favourite gift early, Bharti Airtel has teamed up with Zee5 to deliver a digital feast for its wifi customers.

    Starting with plans priced at Rs 699 and above, Airtel users can now dive into Zee5’s treasure trove of premium content—at no extra cost.

    This holiday season, your binge-watching dreams come bundled with your broadband!

    Through this collaboration, Zee5’s exclusive offerings—including original shows, chartbusters, and OTT movies—will become part of Airtel wifi’s ecosystem. Customers can enjoy 1.5 lakh plus hours of content, spanning multiple genres and languages, with hit titles such as Sam Bahadur, RRR, Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai, Manorathangal, and The Chronicles of Amaragiri.

    Bharti Airtel CMO & EVP customer experience, Amit Tripathi highlighted the significance of the partnership, “Partnerships are at the core of Airtel’s DNA, and we are delighted to partner with Zee5 in our endeavour to build a world-class digital content ecosystem. Zee5’s rich library adds a lot of depth to our content portfolio, enhancing the overall experience for our users. We remain committed to building our content portfolio with a single agenda of delighting our customers with the very best.”

    Zee5 CBO, Manish Kalra echoed the sentiment, “At Zee5, it has been our endeavour to democratise access to high-quality entertainment by making our diverse content library available to a larger audience. The collaboration with Airtel strengthens our commitment to offering viewers a seamless entertainment experience across genres, languages, and formats.”

    Airtel wifi plans and benefits

    With this integration, Airtel wifi customers can enjoy access to over 350 HD TV channels and 27 OTT platforms, including Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon Prime, Netflix, and now Zee5.

    Plan

    Speed

    Benefits

    Rs 699

    Up to 40 Mbps

    Zee5, Disney+ Hotstar, 22+ OTTs

    Rs 899

    Up to 100 Mbps

    Zee5, Disney+ Hotstar, 22+ OTTs

    Rs 1099

    Up to 200 Mbps

    Zee5, Amazon Prime, Disney+ Hotstar, 22+ OTTs

    Rs 1599

    Up to 300 Mbps

    Zee5, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+ Hotstar, 22+ OTTs

    Rs 3999

    Up to 1 Gbps

    Zee5, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+ Hotstar, 22+ OTTs

    Customers can claim their complimentary Zee5 subscription through the Airtel Thanks app.

    With Zee5 joining Airtel’s lineup, the partnership reinforces Airtel wifi’s position as a frontrunner in delivering a comprehensive and enriching digital entertainment experience, offering unparalleled content variety to its subscribers.

  • Anand Chandrasekaran joins Celesta Capital as managing partner

    Anand Chandrasekaran joins Celesta Capital as managing partner

    MUMBAI: Anand Chandrasekaran’s  is quite a familiar face to those  in the media and entertainment tech industry. A geek to the core, he has also been recognised as a shrewd observer and investor in the evolution of tech. Recently, it was announced that he joined Celesta Capital in the Silicon Valley  as a managing partner. 
    Celesta was founded and is led by Nicholas Brathwaite, Sriram Viswanathan, and Michael Marks,  and primarily invests in early-stage deep tech, companies with high potential hardware and software technologies that have a clearly identified market application. 

    Anand knows how to pick winners. At one stage, he led Yahooi in its mobile and search division as senior director, a position he held for three years. He led product development at Airtel and created the Wynk music app for Airtel. 

    Soon thereafter,  he joined Snapdeal as chief product officer, a position he let go of within a year. He then went on to work with Facebook (now Meta) as director of platforms partnerships at messenger which he followed up with a sojourn at Five9. 

    He then went on to  go on board General Catlayst as an investor and partner. Along the way he seed invested in several start ups and has been recognised as one of India’s top seed investors for three years consecutively. 
    Most recently, he co-founded Celesta Capital portfolio company Crescendo, helping to incubate and grow the company to over $50M in revenue and a $500M valuation in less than a year.

    “We are fortunate to expand the firm’s team with such an accomplished investor, technologist, and operator. In getting to know Anand through the process of investing in his latest entrepreneurial venture Crescendo, it became clear that he shares Celesta’s passion for advancing important technologies, company creation, and the huge growth potential within the US  – India tech corridor,” said Viswanathan in a note welcoming him to the company on Linkedin.

  • Glance, Airtel launch AI-powered Glance TV, rivaling Dor TV’s offerings

    Glance, Airtel launch AI-powered Glance TV, rivaling Dor TV’s offerings

    MUMBAI: Imagine walking into your living room after a long day, sinking into your favorite corner of the sofa, and glancing at your TV-not as a blank, lifeless screen but as an AI-powered gateway to a world of interactive wonders. A flicker of curiosity, a spark of excitement, and suddenly, your television transforms into more than a passive device-it becomes an experience.

    This vision of seamless, intuitive engagement has now been made possible by Glance, the brainchild of visionary founders Naveen Tewari and Piyush Shah. With an eye on reimagining how we connect with everyday technology, Glance has taken a bold leap into the future with Glance TV. This groundbreaking platform breathes life into idle connected TV screens, turning them into vibrant, interactive surfaces powered by AI.

    Debuting in India through a partnership with Airtel Xstream and Android TV OS, Glance TV is not just a new product—it’s a revolution in how we perceive home entertainment.

    Glance

    For those who dare to dream big and look beyond the ordinary, Glance TV is here to ensure that every moment spent in front of your screen is worth the glance.

    Glance TV redefines traditional connected TVs by turning passive moments into engaging, real-time experiences. Unlike conventional screens, Glance TV remains always-on, delivering live, personalised, and trending content tailored to user preferences, even when TVs are not actively used.

    In its first deployment phase, Glance TV has already reached over one million Airtel Xstream devices, with users engaging for an impressive average of 200 minutes across three daily sessions. By June 2025, Glance TV aims to expand to four million devices in India, with plans for entry into select global markets soon.

    Glance2

    Glance TV offers live updates across diverse categories, including breaking news, entertainment, sports, finance, technology, and more. Its live sports updates deliver real-time scores, statistics, and detailed scorecards. A weather widget further enhances functionality, ensuring users receive essential updates to plan their day effectively. The platform sources content from leading publishers and currently operates in English.

    Airtel Digital TV, CEO, Siddharth Sharma said, “Customers increasingly seek platforms offering more than traditional entertainment. Our partnership with Glance elevates customer experience by integrating advanced AI technology directly into their TVs, creating an unmatched interactive platform.”

    InMobi co-founder & Glance president & COO, Shah commented, “Glance TV redefines the television experience by elevating screens into dynamic, AI-powered platforms. By blending content with interaction, we transform TVs from mere entertainment devices into intelligent surfaces that engage, connect, and inspire users.”

    As India’s connected TV market crosses 40 million devices, the stage is set for a vibrant battle of innovation and consumer delight. Anuj Gandhi’s trailblazing vision with Dor TV ignited the spark, receiving a warm embrace on its debut. Yet, the plot thickens as Glance TV strides into the spotlight, carving its dominance in the digital age.

    The question now isn’t just who will lead, but how far they’ll push the boundaries of what’s possible. Will it be Dor TV, with its homegrown roots and pioneering spirit? Or will Glance TV’s bold strides cement its place as the visionary leader of this transformation?

    One thing is certain: the journey ahead promises a kaleidoscope of breakthroughs, rivalries, and endless possibilities for the connected future of India.

    The spotlight is on—and the story has just begun.

  • Airtel’s AI solution flags eight billion spam calls in 2.5 months

    Airtel’s AI solution flags eight billion spam calls in 2.5 months

    MUMBAI: Remember the days when our phones buzzed incessantly with spam calls, and we wished for a magic wand to make them disappear? It felt like a far-off dream, especially during those pandemic days when AI was making life easier in ways we never imagined. Fast forward to today, and the digital universe is buzzing with AI tools for every conceivable purpose—yet the menace of spam calls persisted, poking its nose into our daily peace.

    But then, Airtel stepped in, promising us relief with its AI-driven spam-blocking innovation. The big question was: would it truly work, or would it just be another tech gimmick? Well, the results are in, and they’re nothing short of astonishing, albeit with a sprinkle of curiosity.

    In just 75 days, Airtel’s AI flagged a jaw-dropping eight billion spam calls and 800 million spam SMS messages. Impressive, right? But as we sift through the details, the big question looms: has Airtel really silenced the spam storm, or are there gaps to fill? Let’s dive into the numbers and see if this is the revolution we’ve been waiting for—or if we’re left wanting more.

    Airtel’s sophisticated AI algorithm has been instrumental in identifying approximately 1 million spammers daily, alerting 252 million unique customers to suspicious activities. This initiative has led to a 12 per cent reduction in the number of customers answering spam calls, marking a significant step toward user security.

    Key insights from Airtel’s spam report

    ●    Spam Sources: Over 35 per cent of spam calls originated from landlines, with Delhi leading as both the top spam call origin and recipient region. For SMS, Gujarat emerged as the top origin, targeting users in Mumbai, Chennai, and Gujarat.

    ●    Demographic Impact: Male customers accounted for 76 per cent of spam calls, with those aged 36–60 receiving 48 per cent of calls. Senior citizens were notably less targeted, at just 8 per cent.

    ●    Device Preferences: Phones priced between Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000 were the most frequent recipients, comprising 22 per cent of spam calls.

    ●    Peak Hours: Spam activity peaked between noon and 3 PM, with a notable 40 per cent drop in volume on Sundays.

    Airtel’s AI-driven system meticulously analyses diverse parameters to provide real-time detection, ensuring privacy and convenience for its users. This innovation solidifies Airtel’s position as India’s first network to deploy a comprehensive spam-blocking solution, delivering industry-leading security measures.

    “We are committed to safeguarding our customers from the growing menace of spam. Our advanced AI system reflects our dedication to delivering superior experiences while prioritising user privacy,” an Airtel spokesperson said.

    With this initiative, Airtel reaffirms its commitment to enhancing user trust and redefining industry standards. The solution not only curbs intrusive communications but also paves the way for a safer and more secure digital environment.

  • Bharti Airtel awards multibillion dollar contract to Ericsson

    Bharti Airtel awards multibillion dollar contract to Ericsson

    MUMBAI: It’s network upgradation time at Bharti Airtel. India’s second largest telco has awarded a multi-year, multibillion extension deal to Swedish company Ericsson for 4G and 5G radio access network (RAN) products and solutions. Ericsson has been a trusted connectivity partner for Airtel for over 25 years, supporting every generation of mobile communications.

    As per the new contract, Ericsson will deploy centralised RAN and open RAN-ready solutions for network transformation which will help customers with wider coverage and enhanced capacity on the network. Ericsson will also undertake the software upgradation of its current deployed 4G radios thereby enhancing the customer experience.  

    A 5G RAN relies on a fully coordinated, multi-layer network with low-band, mid-band and high-band to provide wireless connectivity to devices and deliver the best network performance. New 5G use cases will deliver new revenue streams for communication service providers (CSPs) and new connectivity opportunities for subscribers.  These use cases include:  cloud gaming, AR/VR,  autonomous driving, fixed wireless access  
    In order to deliver these use cases, the RAN consists of antennas, radios, baseband (RAN compute), and RAN software to enable incredible speeds and mobility.  

    Ericsson currently powers 170 live 5G networks in more than 70 countries. Ericsson’s technology leadership is recognized by independent  analysts such as Frost Radar’s 5G Network Infrastructure Market 2024 , where Ericsson was ranked as the leader for the fourth consecutive year. Ericsson has also been positioned as a leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for 5G for the fourth year in a row.  

    Says Bharti Airtel CTO  Randeep Sekhon:  ”The strategic partnership with Ericsson to deploy the latest technology is a testament to Airtel’s pursuit of network excellence. This deployment will enable us to further improve the speed, reliability, and coverage of our network, ensuring an exceptional experience for our customers.”    
                                
    Adds Ericsson south-east Asia, Oceania & India head Andres Vicente: “This partnership extension reflects our shared vision to build a robust 4G and 5G infrastructure for Bharti Airtel to serve the connectivity needs of its  customer base – including the new 5G use cases as they emerge. We will work closely with Bharti Airtel to deliver great user experiences for their customers.”  

    (Picture courtesy: Ericsson)

  • Bharti Enterprises completes 24.5 per cent stake acquisition in UK’s BT group

    Bharti Enterprises completes 24.5 per cent stake acquisition in UK’s BT group

    MUMBAI: Bharti Airtel’s  Sunil Mittal has planted his company’s flag on the Britain’s biggest broadband and mobile company, the BT group. Earlier this week, Bharti Global, the international investment arm of Bharti Enterprises, completed the acquisition of a 24.5 per cent stake in BT from businessman Patrick Drahi. The stake was sold via Altice UK in two parts, the second of which is now completed.

    Mittal had announced in August 2024 that he would be buying a 9.9 per cent stake immediately, and would buy the remainder later after his group gets the necessary regulatory approvals. The purchase of the remainder shareholding makes Bharti Enterprises the single largest shareholder in BT group. The entire transaction cost Bharti 4.32 billion Euros. 

    In a statement Mittal said he was delighted to have “completed our investment into BT. Bharti has long recognised the enormous potential of the business. BT’s renewed focus on optimisation, strengthening networks and driving consumer growth makes it well placed to consolidate its position as a leading global telecom company that delivers long-term value for investors.”

  • Bharti Airtel to get new CEO in Shashwat Sharma come 2026

    Bharti Airtel to get new CEO in Shashwat Sharma come 2026

    MUMBAI: He’s been rated as one of the top Indian CEOs. But now Bharti Airtel’s managing director & CEO Gopal Vittal, along with Sunil Mittal, has put in place a plan wherein he will move out of his current position to executive chairman come 1 January 2026. Replacing him will be chief operations officer Shashwat Sharma who will step into his shoes.

    For now, Shashwat  is being appointed as CEO designate, responsible for the entire end-to-end consumer business.

    In the interim, the telco major has promoted Gopal to vice-chairman along with his existing duties as managing director.  In this role, while continuing to lead the India business, Gopal  will take on broader telecom responsibilities across the group. He is to be appointed to the board of Airtel Africa  as the Bharti nominee director to provide strategic guidance. In addition, he will be responsible for driving group synergies in select areas such as network strategy, digital and  technology, procurement and talent.

    Gopal will be responsible for mentoring and grooming Shashwat to take over as MD & CEO of Bharti Airtel. He will start to spend time between Delhi and Bangalore.

    The company announced changes at the board level too on 28 October. Rakesh Bharti Mittal, having served Airtel for nine years in his current term, will move on to the boards of Indus Towers and Bharti Hexacom. Replacing him is Rajan Bharti Mittal who returns to Airtel to be the Bharti board nominee.

  • TCS hits hat-trick as India’s most valuable brand: Kantar BrandZ report

    TCS hits hat-trick as India’s most valuable brand: Kantar BrandZ report

    Mumbai: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) remains the nation’s most valuable brand for the third straight year, according to the new ‘Kantar BrandZ Most Valuable Indian Brands Report’ published today. With a brand value of $49.7 billion, TCS has seen a 16 per cent rise versus last year, driven by investments in innovation, particularly in AI and digital transformation. 

    India’s top 75 most valuable brands now have a combined value of $450.5 billion, marking a 19 per cent increase from last year. Brands across diverse business sectors fuelled this growth, with 54 brands boosting their brand value over the past year. This impressive growth outpaces most other BrandZ rankings globally and closely mirrors the 20 per cent increase seen in the global top 100.

    TCS tops a strong group of seven business technology and services platforms, collectively worth almost $100 billion, and equalling 22 per cent of the total value of India’s top 75 ranking.

    Financial services brands also dominate, with 17 brands, contributing 28 per cent of the ranking’s overall brand value. HFDC Bank (No.2; $38.3bn) retains its position as India’s second most valuable brand. State Bank of India (No.5; $18.0bn), ICICI Bank (No.6; $15.6bn) and LIC (No.10; $11.5bn) also feature in the top 10.

    Zomato (No.31; $3.5bn) is this year’s fastest riser with 100 per cent growth in brand value year-on-year due to relentless innovation and expansion into quick commerce. It has also boosted efficiency and elevated its customer experience over the last year.

    The automotive sector has also seen impressive results, led by Maruti Suzuki (No.17; +24 per cent), Bajaj Auto (No.20; +94 per cent), Mahindra (No.30; +78 per cent), TVS (No.34; +71 per cent) and Hero (No.35; +62 per cent). Mahindra’s SUVs now make up 53 per cent of India’s passenger car market (June 2024). The success of models like XUV700, Scorpio N, and Thar, which continue to see high demand and long waiting periods, has solidified Mahindra’s leadership in mid and premium SUVs.

    Rising disposable income and a growing middle class are driving demand for vehicles, shifting car ownership from a status symbol to a necessity. Improved infrastructure, government support for EVs and strong export growth expectations are further fuelling the industry’s momentum.

    India’s motorised two-wheel vehicle market is bouncing back, driven by a recovering economy and rising demand for personal transportation. Key factors include urbanisation, the need for affordable transport, and a growing young population. New models with advanced technology are also fuelling growth, meeting diverse consumer needs.

    Seven brands debut in India’s brand ranking this year, including jewellery retail brands CaratLane (No.45; $2.7bn) and Kalyan Jewellers (No.71; $1.6bn) and Real Estate brand, Lodha (No.63; $1.9bn). Godrej Properties (No.70; $1.66bn) also re-enters the ranking.

    Deepender Rana

    Kantar executive managing director, insights, South Asia – Deepender Rana said, “Strong brands consistently outperform the market. Over the past year, the companies behind India’s Top 75 brands have achieved an impressive 52 per cent stock market growth, outpacing the 37.6 per cent growth for the Sensex. Brands that thrive are those that create a Meaningful Difference by meeting evolving consumer needs, challenging industry norms, and forging strong emotional connections. The top performers in this brand ranking have excelled by embracing disruption and innovation, leading to significantly higher growth.” 

    Kantar BrandZ top 10 most valuable Indian brands 2024

    Rank 2023 Rank 2024 Brand Category Brand Value 2024 (US$ M)
    1 1 Tata Consultancy Services Business Technology and Services Platforms 49,657
    N/A 2 HDFC Bank Financial Services 38,286
    4 3 Airtel Telecom Providers 29,856
    3 4 Infosys Business Technology and Services Platforms 25,221
    5 5 State Bank of India Financial Services 17,979
    6 6 ICICI Bank Financial Services 15,604
    8 7 Jio Telecom Providers 13,744
    7 8 Asian Paints Paints 13,555
    10 9 HCL Tech Business Technology and Services Platforms 11,815
    11 10 LIC Financial Services 11,499

    India’s GDP growth outlook is bright, with an expected 8.2 per cent increase compared to the global average of 3.1 per cent, potentially positioning the country as the world’s third-largest economy by 2030. However, despite strong investor confidence, large brands face a looming challenge: a long-term decline in demand power. While they may remain stock market favourites for now, they risk losing relevance in the minds of consumers if they don’t adapt to shifting expectations.

    Soumya Mohanty

    Kantar’s MD & chief client officer, insights, South Asia – Soumya Mohanty said, “It’s not enough to make consumers want to buy, brands must build their saliency and relevancy across all touchpoints, from advertising to in-store experiences. Successful brands create a consistent presence that resonates with consumers, driving both awareness and loyalty. Those that thrive have combined strategic reach with compelling, creative messaging to capture consumer attention and drive significant brand growth.”

    Other key highlights from the Kantar BrandZ most valuable Indian brands report include:

    • Opportunity to expand beyond national borders: Many Indian brands remain heavily reliant on the domestic market, benefiting from a stable local economy. However, the global market of 6.7 billion people remains largely untapped, with overseas contribution accounting for only 26 per cent of the top 75 Indian brands. Indian brands must expand beyond their borders to unlock their full potential on the global stage.  
       
    • A blueprint for brand growth: Kantar’s new blueprint for brand growth is designed to help businesses build profitable, strong and sustainable brands in recognition that being meaningfully different to more people is a key driver for growth. While maintaining meaningful difference is a global challenge, it is more pronounced in India. With over 20 per cent of Indian brands lagging in this area, the need to adapt and differentiate is more critical than ever to remain competitive and see long-term growth.

    The Kantar BrandZ Most Valuable Indian Brands ranking, report and extensive analysis are available now at www.kantar.com/campaigns/brandz/india   

    Built on Kantar’s meaningful different and salient framework, BrandEvaluator is an innovative tool that delivers a robust brand equity assessment in as few as four days, empowering strategic decisions that drive sales and growth.

  • Nxtra by Airtel releases sustainability report for FY 23-24

    Nxtra by Airtel releases sustainability report for FY 23-24

    Mumbai: Nxtra Data Ltd (“Nxtra by Airtel”), a subsidiary of Bharti Airtel  (Airtel), today, unveiled the second edition of its Sustainability Report for FY 2023-24.  The report highlights Nxtra’s consistent and increasing focus on environmental, social and governance  (ESG) parameters. It details Nxtra’s initiatives for building future-ready, digitised infrastructure that is sustainable by design and engineered to accommodate high-density workloads and offer seamless scale to customers, thereby enabling their growth.

    Nxtra by Airtel CEO Ashish Arora said, “The future of data centres lies in our ability to harmonise intelligent infrastructure with sustainability. Integrating innovative ESG initiatives into our business model and operations has been integral to our data centre build and operations from day one. As our sustainability  report highlights, we have made consistent progress across all three sustainability parameters ‘environment,  social and governance’ during the year and will continue to keep it as our core focus area.”

    Key achievements of the year

    • Transitioned to 220,541 MWh renewable energy usage in operations, 41 per cent higher than the last fiscal

    • Reduced Scope 1 and 2 emissions by ~4 per cent compared to base year FY21 despite an increase of 25 per cent in power consumption

    • Ensured consistent increase in women employees with 30 per cent more representation in the workplace

    • With the aim of doubling women’s representation by FY26 from FY23, introduced the NxtWave  initiative – a unique talent development programme for women in engineering

    • Ensured 4.3 million safe man-hours in construction

    • Facilitated promotion of responsible sourcing with 99 per cent local procurement.

    The full report here: 

    Nxtra’s mission of building a future-ready data centre infrastructure is engineered around “Intelligent by  Design and Sustainable by Choice” approach. To achieve net zero by 2031, Nxtra has been enabling “Sustainable Scaling” with increasing investments and initiatives around innovative clean energy,  water and waste management sources to support its operations and build smart & resilient data centre facilities that have sustainability at its core. Today, Nxtra by Airtel has the largest network of data centres in India with 12 large and 120 edge data centres across the country. For more details, 

  • This World Music Day, Airtel has something for all music lovers

    This World Music Day, Airtel has something for all music lovers

    Mumbai: World Music Day, celebrated on June 21, marks a special day for music, highlighting its power to bring people together. This year, Airtel makes it easier for music lovers to enjoy their favourite tunes on any device, anytime, anywhere. In conjunction with this celebration, Airtel’s Wynk Studio proudly announces a milestone of over 1.7+ billion streams for songs by emerging artists within two years since its launch.

    Airtel celebrates World Music Day by providing an opportunity for all music lovers to catch on to their music wherever they go. For the users spending time at home, Airtel DTH will be playing special programming with English & Hindi songs throughout the day on the Airtel Playlist channel (LCN 479).

    In addition to the DTH offerings, Wynk Music, India’s top music streaming, provides an unparalleled music experience on the go. With a simple tap, users can explore an extensive library of songs, including those from Wynk Studio’s independent artists. Established artists like Nikhita Gandhi, Vishal Dadlani, and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan have also collaborated with Wynk Studio to release their music.

    Additionally, Wynk Studio provides collaboration opportunities, background scores for web series, OTT content, live events, and other projects. Wynk Music curates special playlists to enhance discoverability and increase streams, enabling over 2000 artists to reach a broader audience and effectively monetize their music.

    Customers can access/add these channels to their DTH packs by:

    1    Giving a missed call at 9154052479/8800488003

    2    On the Airtel Thanks app, click Services, select DTH account, you can select the plan Add Ons and click manage

    3    On Xstream set-top box by navigating to the LCN 479 and clicking “Add” Airtel Playlist at just Rs.51 Airtel DTH allows customers to pause, play and record live programs whenever they want.