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  • Ericsson is ready to power India into the 5G future: VP marketing & communications Ruchika Batra

    Ericsson is ready to power India into the 5G future: VP marketing & communications Ruchika Batra

    Mumbai: With 5G set to take flight in India, telecom companies are gearing up to be the first in the 5G race. The country’s first auction of the 5G spectrum concluded early last month, with service providers Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, Vodafone Idea, and Adani Data Networks paying the department of telecom (DoT) a total of about Rs 17,876 crore for the spectrum they acquired. With this spectrum allotment, India is in the final stage of rolling out high-speed 5G telecom services.

    Ericsson India recently unveiled its new brand campaign “Imagine Possible” that sets out to show the limitless possibilities of increased connectivity with 5G for Indian industries, people, and communities. In an interaction with Indiantelevision.com, Ericsson VP-marketing and communications Ruchika Batra talks about the campaign objective, the significance of the Indian market for the brand and how ready the Indian consumer is to welcome the 5G network.

    India has been a strategic market for Ericsson and the leading provider of telecom network equipment has been partnering with the country through generations of mobility—2G, 3G, and 4G—even as it now sets the stage for the 5G rollout.

    The fifth generation of mobile networks or 5G, as it is referred to, is currently the fastest communication network available in the world, as it gradually makes its way to every part of the globe. It opens up a whole new world of entertainment and applications, enabling users to download full-length movies in a matter of seconds and take advantage of more advanced linked technologies like gaming with augmented reality.

    Ericsson’s global campaign – India chapter

    Elaborating on the objective of launching the India chapter of this global campaign, Batra says that “Imagine Possible” brings to life the company’s purpose and vision in the Indian context. “The objective of the campaign is all about showcasing the limitless possibilities that 5G will bring to Indian enterprises, people, and communities. It emphasises the transformational role that 5G can play in creating a more digitally inclusive society in India through relevant use-cases across industries like healthcare, manufacturing, education, and entertainment.” With 5G, the possibilities are endless and the campaign depicts the same, she adds.

    It highlights the potential of 5G through five scenarios: a schoolgirl taking remote lessons from a rural homestead; fans enjoying an extended reality cricket experience; a mountain medic wearing an AR headset allowing him to see the diagnosis from surgeons back in the hospital whilst attending patients at a remote location; a farmer enjoying the benefits of connected digital financial services in a rural setting; and drone operations with 5G powered smart factories.

    Ericsson’s significant achievements in the Indian 5G market

    According to Batra, Ericsson has viewed India as a strategic market since 1903. It became one of the first companies to manufacture telecom equipment for domestic players as well as export it to other parts of the world. So, when Batra was asked about the 5G readiness in the country, she said, “Our Ericsson radio solutions introduced in India in 2015 are 5G ready and we are well prepared to support Indian service providers in their journey from 4G to 5G. We have been working with our operator partners, enterprises, as well as the academic community to test and curate various 5G use cases that would be relevant for the country with the trial spectrum that was made available.”

    Post the recently concluded 5G spectrum auctions in the country, Bharti Airtel awarded its first 5G contract in the country to Ericsson. Some of the recent 5G milestones that Ericsson has achieved include partnering with Bharti Airtel to demonstrate India’s first 5G live network in Hyderabad and trials in Gurugram and Manesar. This was followed by a demonstration of India’s first 5G rural trial in Bhaipur Bramanan village on the outskirts of Delhi/NCR. Ericsson also partnered with Vodafone Idea (VIL) to showcase the power of 5G to bring healthcare to remote parts of the country.

    “At our end, Ericsson is ready to power India into the 5G future. In fact, our radio system hardware has been 5G-ready since 2015 enabling operators to upgrade to 5G with a remote software installation,” asserts Batra.

    Influence of 5G on consumers and enterprises in India

    With 5G services to be rolled out in India shortly, India’s top telcos Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea are firming up plans to tap into the emerging gaming and e-sports segment that is expected to see strong growth and investments amid faster speeds and low latency. The next phase of growth for gaming is expected to be driven by the accelerating adoption of 5G, cloud gaming, gamification, and mobile gaming devices, among others. For instance, 4K video on a smartphone, AR/VR and mobile gaming applications benefit from 5G capabilities such as ultra-low latency and ultra-high reliability for an enhanced user experience.

    According to Batra, some of the use cases that consumers will see with 5G are cloud gaming, live sports and enhanced video content, with 5G enabled sports being the top predicted revenue drivers. A spectator will get an even more immersive experience using 5G-enabled stadiums, 5G network slicing, 5G enabled cameras and virtual transmission centres, she adds.

    The need for low latency will be even more crucial with AR/VR entering the market for consumers to have a captivating experience, and 5G will be able to address this quickly, points out the Ericsson marketing and communications head.

    In future, gaming will form a core of major telcos’ business strategy going forward, as they seek to increase average revenue per user (ARPU) by engaging more subscribers and boosting user stickiness, predicts industry experts.

    Will 5G services be welcome with premium prices?

    Batra is categorical about Indian consumers’ willingness to pay more for value-added premium services. “There is already quite a lot of enthusiasm amongst Indian consumers for 5G and they are willing to pay a premium for the capabilities it brings,” she asserts.

    According to Ericsson’s ConsumerLab study, at least 40 million smartphone users in India are expected to take up 5G in the first year of it becoming available, she points out. “In fact, they are also willing to pay 50 per cent more for 5G plans that include bundled digital services, compared to just 10 per cent more for 5G connectivity.”

    The latest Mobility Report from Ericsson predicts that by 2027, nearly 40 per cent of all mobile subscriptions in India will be on 5G, which is a whopping 500 million subscribers. This adoption will be driven by significant investment by mobile operators, who are expected to dedicate a huge part of their capital expenditure on building 5G infrastructure, estimates the report.

  • Pepsi unveils quirky film to celebrate partnership with Airtel

    Pepsi unveils quirky film to celebrate partnership with Airtel

    Mumbai: In line with PepsiCo India’s partnership with Bharti Airtel, Pepsi has unveiled a new film to mark the announcement. The partnership will be amplified via a robust 360-degree campaign spanning TV, digital, outdoor, and social media.

    The quirky TVC showcases Pepsi’s and Airtel’s latest data offerings on its PET bottles where consumers can avail Airtel recharge benefits worth Rs 10 to 20.

    With the launch of this new TVC, Pepsi aims to bring a streak of celebration with its distinct value-for-money offering through its collaboration with Airtel.

    Speaking on the comical take of the campaign, PepsiCo India’s Pepsi Cola category lead Saumya Rathor said, “Consumers today, more than ever, are seeking value for money. Ahead of the festive season, the partnership with Airtel is an endeavour to bring people together, help them stay connected and bring more smiles with every sip.”

    The light-humoured TVC opens at a basketball practice, where a girl cheekily says hello to a boy. The boy is convinced that the girl loves him because she has asked him to recharge her talk time. However, his friend, who is sitting next to him, asks sarcastically, “If she truly loves you, who is she talking to and spending the talk time on?” The question gives the boy a reality check. However, his friend hands him a chilled bottle of Pepsi to calm him down. Seeing the Airtel recharge discount offer on the Pepsi bottle leaves the boy puzzled, to which his friend smartly responds that the next time you recharge her phone, it will hurt you less as you can use the redeemable discount coupons that come with every Pepsi bottle. Both look at each other, smile, and take another sip of the Pepsi with ‘swag.’

  • HITS launches on Airtel Digital TV

    HITS launches on Airtel Digital TV

    Mumbai: Airtel Digital TV is ready to enthrall its subscribers yet again with the launch of its new service – Airtel HITS HD.

    HITS brings the iconic series all set to launch on Airtel Digital TV on 20 May 2022.

    Featuring a selection of some of the most popular, iconic, and award-winning Hollywood television content from the 60s to the early 2000’s, the channel is sure to take you on a lovely trip down memory lane. Airtel digital TV subscribers can now enjoy a window to the best content ever produced for television in HD like Diff’rent Strokes, Bewitched, Charmed, Bonanza, The Lucy Show, Baywatch, The Bionic Woman, Sherlock Holmes, among many others. These award-winning titles are sure to appeal to both those who remember the Golden Age of Hollywood and modern audiences.

    Airtel Digital TV CEO Manu Sood said, “At Airtel we are always looking at serving the discerning content needs of our subscribers. With Airtel HITS HD we are giving our subscribers a platform to indulge in their favourite Hollywood shows from the 60s to the early 2000’s. The diverse assortment of English shows from the good old days fulfills a need gap for our evolving viewers who are constantly looking for unique entertainment destinations that are not available elsewhere be it TV or OTT.”

    Rewind Networks CEO Avi Himatsinghani said, “We are thrilled to associate with Airtel Digital TV to bring Airtel HITS HD to their subscribers in India. Airtel viewers can now tune in to enjoy the finest curation of the most popular, iconic, and award-winning Hollywood television content from the past in high definition! I am certain our hand-picked selection will make the viewers reminisce over their favourite TV shows, making Airtel HITS HD a perfect destination for family viewing and entertainment. We look forward to the partnership!”

    HITS features a carefully curated collection of top TV dramas and sitcoms from Hollywood and UK majors such as The Walt Disney Company, ITV Studios, Paramount, NBCUniversal, Fremantle and Sony Pictures, and will progressively introduce more titles from other studios.

    The channel shall be available free for the first 10 days followed by Rs 75 per month. Airtel HITS HD will be available on Channel 167 on Airtel Digital TV and will be aired in high definition (HD) with English subtitles.

  • ShemarooMe partners with Airtel Xstream to expand its reach

    ShemarooMe partners with Airtel Xstream to expand its reach

    Mumbai: OTT platform ShemarooMe has entered into a partnership with Bharti Airtel’s video streaming service Airtel Xstream Premium to strengthen its presence by tapping into the telecom giant’s over 300 million customer base across India.

    With this partnership, users will get access to ShemarooMe’s content library along with 14 other Indian and global OTTs with a single access login on Airtel Xstream Premium app, available on mobile and large screens (TV, tablet and PC) at Rs 149/month and Rs 1499/year, said the statement. 

    “We are delighted to partner with Airtel Xstream and expand our reach across the country,” said Shemaroo Entertainment CEO Hiren Gada. “The partnership with Airtel will not just enable us to reach out to a wider audience but also allow the users of Airtel Xstream to get access to ShemarooMe’s varied content repository. With this association, we have strengthened our longstanding relationship with Airtel and look forward to more such collaborations.”

    ShemarooMe has a network of over 50 partners across platforms such as e-commerce, banking & payment app, telecom, OEMs, media, and ISPs/broadband.

    “Through this partnership, Airtel customers will get access to ShemarooMe’s entire content library in addition to other OTTs, unlocking the exciting world of video entertainment for India’s growing tribe of digitally connected audiences,” remarked Airtel Digital CEO Adarsh Nair.

  • Eros Now extends partnership with Airtel

    Eros Now extends partnership with Airtel

    Mumbai: Eros Now, an over-the-top (OTT) South Asian entertainment platform owned by Eros STX Global Corp on Wednesday announced the extension of its partnership with Airtel. The alliance will bring Eros Now’s content library to Airtel Xstream Premium, a newly launched aggregation-oriented video streaming service by Airtel.

    The partnership is in line with Eros Now’s strategy to focus on direct-to-consumer relationships while strengthening and expanding key distribution partnerships. As part of this collaboration, Eros Now will also be available across new bundled offerings to customers on Airtel Xstream Android set-top-boxes and Airtel Xstream Fiber.

    “Airtel users will get access to Eros Now’s content of over 12,000 films, originals, music, and short-form content across languages and genres. All this will be accessible through a simplified search, customised recommendations and single access login on the Airtel Xstream Premium app on mobile and large screens (TV, tablet and PC),” said the statement.

    “Video-on-demand has emerged as the key driver of data consumption on telecom networks making content and its delivery channel equally important and Airtel has been a market leader in video and 4G penetration,” said Eros Now CEO Ali Hussein. “This partnership allows for a symbiotic play wherein both entities can analyse the customer data and precisely target subscribers with the content of their choice. The collaboration also entitles Eros Now to be a part of Airtel’s preferred channel network and further strengthens our leading position in the Hindi-speaking markets.”

    As per a Redseer report, Hindi and other Indian languages dominated the comprehensive streaming growth. Hindi language content accounted for more than 50 per cent of the overall streaming in April-July 2020. This also indicates that video experience is becoming increasingly important to Indian consumers, hence any operator who provides greater video experience has an edge. As per the latest OpenSignal’s Mobile Network India Report, Airtel won the best video experience category nationally for the fifth time in a row.

    “We are witnessing a huge surge in video consumption amongst our customers. And this growth is not limited to big cities but is also coming from smaller cities and towns,” stated Airtel Digital CEO Adarsh Nair. “This strategic partnership with Eros Now enables us to provide the most sought-after content to consumers in the true heartland of India in their preferred language. It also allows us to enhance our offering and enrich our customer’s digital experience.” 

  • Airtel launches Xstream Premium aggregator service, onboards 15 OTT brands

    Airtel launches Xstream Premium aggregator service, onboards 15 OTT brands

    Mumbai: Further democratising the growing digital entertainment ecosystem in India, Bharti Airtel (Airtel), on Thursday announced the launch of its new video streaming aggregator service – Airtel Xstream Premium. The company is targeting 20 million subscriptions through the new offering.

    Aggregating content from 15 Indian and global OTT platforms in one app, Airtel Xstream Premium will give customers access to Live channels and a catalogue of over 10,500 films and shows from SonyLIV, ErosNow, Lionsgate Play, Hoichoi, ManoramaMax, Shemaroo, Ultra, HungamaPlay, EPICon, Docubay, DivoTV, Klikk, Nammaflix, Dollywood, and Shorts TV. More OTT players will be onboarded going ahead, said the statement.

    Airtel Xstream Premium offers its service with a single app, single subscription, single sign-in, unified content search and AI-driven personalised curation for each user. It can be accessed across mobile devices through the web, and on TV through the Xstream set-top-box. The service will be available exclusively to Airtel customers at Rs 149 per month.

    “Airtel Xstream Premium is a game-changing innovation to democratise OTT content in India by solving the key challenges of content discovery, affordability and distribution,” said Airtel digital CEO Adarsh Nair. “As a unified digital platform, it’s a win-win proposition for customers and OTT players alike as we begin an exciting journey to make digital entertainment mainstream in India.” 

    SonyLIV’s growth and monetisation head Manish Aggarwal added, “Our partnership with Airtel Xstream will bring premium content – from originals, movies, sports and Sony India network content in all the leading languages, along with top shows from Hollywood to over 340 million Airtel customers. SonyLIV’s rich content library coupled with Airtel Xstream’s deep distribution reach and massive scale capabilities make it for a perfect partnership for both sides and we look forward to a long and successful association.”

    “Hoichoi has always been committed to making its content available to a wider audience base. Airtel, being one of the most widely used network, with a similar aim of serving people from all corners of the country, makes this partnership a truly dynamic one. This will enable Hoichoi to penetrate deeper into the Tier – II and Tier – III cities by providing Airtel users with a Hoichoi subscription bundled with an attractive Airtel recharge pack,” remarked Hoichoi CEO Soumya Mukherjee.

    “Eros Now is a mass-market consumer proposition with thousands of movies, original series, music videos, short-form content and more in multiple languages,” stated Eros Now CEO Ali Hussein. “This symbiotic partnership with Airtel Xstream will further accelerate Eros Now’s adoption in India and allow an even larger number of video users to access our popular and engaging content. I am confident that consumers will enjoy the experience of accessing the best of entertainment and internet on a single platform.”

  • Airtel brings in Rajiv Sharma as head of investor relations

    Airtel brings in Rajiv Sharma as head of investor relations

    Mumbai: Bharti Airtel Ltd (Airtel) has brought Rajiv Sharma on board as head of investor relations, effective 1 October. He takes over from Komal Sharan, who is moving to a new role within the Bharti group.

    In his new role, Sharma will report to Airtel India and South Asia chief financial officer Badal Bagri. He will be responsible for ensuring that the telecom company is appropriately represented with investors, lenders, equity partners, and financial institutions.

    Welcoming Sharma on board, Airtel India and South Asia MD & CEO Gopal Vittal said, “I am confident his rich experience and deep understanding of the telecom industry will add immense value to our engagement with the investor and financial community. I wish Rajiv the very best in his role and look forward to working closely with him.”

    Sharma is a qualified chartered accountant with over 18 years of experience in capital markets, corporate strategy, consulting, IPOs, fundraising, and equity research. He joins Airtel from Spark Capital Advisors where he was director – investment banking & head – digital research. Previously, he also worked with companies such as SBICAP Securities, HSBC, and PWC.

  • ARPU target 200; Indian mobile subscribers trudge along at Rs 94.87

    ARPU target 200; Indian mobile subscribers trudge along at Rs 94.87

    Mumbai: Indian mobile subscribers consumed 11.76 Gb of data on average per month and generated an average revenue per user (ARPU) of Rs 94.87 at the end of December 2020, according to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

    At a press conference earlier this month, Bharti Airtel chairman Sunil Mittal stressed the importance of hiking tariffs and bringing ARPUs to at least Rs 200 by the end of the financial year 2022, for the sustainable growth of the sector.

    ARPU per month has increased from Rs 74.88 in the year 2019 to Rs 94.87 in 2020 and minutes of usage has increased from 701 minutes to 759 minutes in the same period. ARPU for post-paid service customers decreased from Rs 259.02 to Rs 226.83 while for prepaid service customers, it increased from Rs 66.48 to Rs 88.37. The total gross revenue of the telecom sector has increased from Rs 2,43,702 crore to Rs 2,74,208 crore.

    Notably, revenues from data usage and calls have almost doubled. Revenue from data usage has increased from Rs 42.37 to Rs 81.81 whereas revenue from calls has grown from Rs 8.12 to Rs 17.72. Rental revenue has sharply declined from Rs 31.07 to Rs 0.95, as per TRAI.

    Mobile data usage has grown by 35.6 per cent year-on-year (YoY). The total revenue from wireless data usage increased from Rs 59,334 crore to Rs 113,156 crore with a yearly growth rate of 90.71 per cent. The ARPUs for wireless data usage alone increased from Rs 76.59 to Rs 128.61.

    Airtel reported ARPUs of Rs 121 at the end of December 2020 as per the company’s annual report. In their recent quarterly earnings report, the company disclosed that ARPUs had increased to Rs 146. On the other hand, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea reported ARPUs of Rs 138 and Rs 104, at the end of the fourth quarter for FY 2021.

    India’s ARPUs are the lowest in the world at $1.8 whereas countries like Brazil, China, EU and the US ARPUs stand at $4.6, $6.7, $12.1, and $37.8, respectively. Indian mobile customers consume more Gb of data than any of these countries (GSMA Intelligence Database, Sept 2020). While consumers get more benefits and value from unlimited voice and daily data allowances, compared to five years ago, India’s ARPUs are actually lower in comparison to historic trends.

    The ARPU erosion is due to telecom operators aggressively defending their subscriber base by selling heavily discounted voice plans with bundled data despite tremendous growth in the volume of voice and data usage in the last few years. There has been an industry-wide call to hike the floor prices which prevents telcos from undercutting each other across various services.

    Recently, the telecom players Jio, Airtel and Vodafone Idea took some solace as the government announced relief measures for the sector including a moratorium of four years on interest rates related to payment of AGR dues. It also announced 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) in the sector and made it easier to get clearance for tower installation.

    India’s wireless internet subscribers grew by 10.52 per cent YoY and wired internet subscribers grew by 14.07 per cent. The number of wireless internet subscribers grew from 696.36 million to 769.64 million, where wired internet subscribers grew from 22.39 million to 25.54 million in December 2020.

    The total number of internet subscribers grew to 795.18 million, with Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea and BSNL having 51.6 per cent, 25.5 per cent, 17.3 per cent and 4.1 per cent of the market share, respectively.

  • Airtel unveils new prepaid plans bundled with Disney+ Hotstar benefits

    Airtel unveils new prepaid plans bundled with Disney+ Hotstar benefits

    Mumbai: Telecom major Bharti Airtel Ltd (Airtel) has unveiled its new prepaid mobile plans that come with high-speed data, unlimited calling, daily SMS benefits as well as one-year free access to streaming platform Disney+ Hotstar.

    “With Disney+ Hotstar subscription, users will get access to live coverage of major global sporting events, including the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) and T20 World Cup, exclusive specials series, film releases, and others,” said the telecom operator announcing the plans on Thursday.

    Airtel’s first new prepaid recharge plan starts at Rs 499 and offers 28 days validity along with unlimited calls to any network in India. Additionally, it offers 100 SMS per day along with three GB of data per day and one year mobile-only Disney+ Hotstar subscription, Apollo 24/7 Circle three months membership and free courses from Shaw Academy.

    Another new prepaid recharge plan of Rs 699 offers two GB per day data along with unlimited calls and 100 SMS per day with a validity period of 56 days. It also provides mobile-only Disney+ Hotstar subscription for a year, Apollo 24/7 Circle three months membership and free courses from Shaw Academy.

    The third new recharge plan is worth Rs 2798 which offers two GB per day data along with unlimited calls and 100 SMS per day for a validity period of 365 days. The plan also includes the same benefits as the Rs 699 prepaid plan.

    Airtel mentioned that all its postpaid plans of Rs 499 and above also offer one year of free mobile-only Disney+ Hotstar subscription.

    The company further said all the Airtel Xstream Fiber plans above Rs 999 contain a year of free Disney+ Hotstar ‘super’ subscription. Currently, Airtel’s Xstream Fiber has broadband plans with up to one Gbps speed, unlimited data, unlimited calling benefits.

    Moreover, all Airtel users also have the added benefit of directly purchasing the Disney+Hotstar subscription of their choice directly from Airtel shop with the convenience of either getting it added to their monthly postpaid bill or upfront payment via multiple payment modes, said the telecom company.

  • Jio, Airtel add millions of mobile subscribers in June: TRAI

    Jio, Airtel add millions of mobile subscribers in June: TRAI

    Mumbai: Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel (including Tata Teleservices) added 5.4 million and 3.8 million mobile subscribers whereas Vodafone Idea lost 4.2 million subscribers, according to the latest subscription data shared by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). Reliance Communications added 917 subscribers growing its subscriber base by 10 per cent, it showed.

    Total wireless subscribers increased from 1176.84 million to 1180.83 million at a monthly growth rate of 0.34 per cent. The number of active wireless subscribers stood at 984.79 million. Bharti Airtel had the maximum proportion of active subscribers at 343.71 million. Jio had 340.34 million and Vodafone Idea had 241.71 million active subscribers. Excluding Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka, all service areas showed growth in wireless subscribers for the period.

    The number of telephone subscribers increased from 1198.50 million to 1202.57 million. Urban telephone subscriptions increased from 661.18 million to 666.10 million. However, rural telephone subscriptions decreased from 537.52 million to 536.47 million. The overall teledensity increased from 87.84 per cent to 88.07 per cent. The wireless teledensity increased from 86.25 per cent to 86.48 per cent, the data showed.

    As per reports received from 440 operators in the month of June, the number of broadband subscribers increased from 780.27 million to 792.78 million. The top five service providers constituted 98.77 per cent market share of the total broadband subscribers. These service providers were Reliance Jio (439.91 million), Bharti Airtel (197.14 million), Vodafone Idea (121.42 million), BSNL (22.69 million), and Atria Convergence (1.91 million).

    The top five wired broadband service providers were BSNL (6.03 million), Bharti Airtel (3.37 million), Reliance Jio Infocomm (3.22 million), Atria Convergence Technologies (1.91 million), and Hathway Cable & Datacom (1.06 million).

    The top five wireless broadband subscribers were Reliance Jio Infocomm (436.69 million), Bharti Airtel (193.74 million), Vodafone Idea (121.41 million), BSNL (16.67 million), and Tikona Infinet (0.31 million).

    Wireline subscribers increased from 20.36 million to 21.66 million. The overall wireline teledensity increased from 1.49 per cent to 1.59 per cent. BSNL and MTNL held 48.72 per cent of the wireline market. BSNL added 1.1 million new wireline subscribers whereas Reliance Jio 0.1 million new wireline subscribers at the end of June.