ITV

Tag: Vodafone Idea Ltd

  • TRAI implements new measures to eliminate spam calls and SMS

    TRAI implements new measures to eliminate spam calls and SMS

    New Delhi – In a mission towards curbing the menace of spam calls and SMS, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has implemented a series of robust measures. These initiatives are aimed at safeguarding consumer interests and also ensuring accountability among service providers and telemarketers.

    TRAI’s directive issued on 13 August 2024, stated its no-tolerance policy toward entities engaging in promotional calls and messages that violate regulations. The mandate includes disconnection of telecom resources, blacklisting of violators for up to two years, and a prohibition on new resource allocation during the blacklisting period.

    These decisive actions have already shown promising results. Access providers, acting on TRAI’s directive, have significantly reduced the number of complaints against spam calls. In August 2024, 1.89 lakh complaints were registered. This figure dropped by 13 per cent to 1.63 lakh in September and further declined by 20 per cent to 1.51 lakh in October.

    To ensure transparency and traceability in messaging, TRAI issued a directive on 20 August 2024, requiring a clear trail of all messages from senders to recipients. This measure, set to take effect on 1 November 2024, ensures that accountability is embedded into the messaging ecosystem.

    Recognising the need for a smooth transition, TRAI extended the implementation deadline to 30 November 2024. This extension provides additional time for Principal Entities (PEs) and Telemarketers (TMs) to align with technical and operational requirements. Access providers have swiftly implemented the necessary technical solutions, laying the groundwork for a seamless transition.

    TRAI has actively engaged stakeholders through webinars aimed at raising awareness about these measures. On 12 November 2024, the first webinar, conducted in collaboration with Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd., witnessed participation from over 1,000 representatives, including those from entities regulated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), and Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI).

    The second webinar, held on 19 November 2024, in association with Vodafone Idea Ltd., saw participation from over 800 representatives, including officials from central and state government departments. Building on this momentum, a third webinar is scheduled for 25 November 2024, in partnership with Tata Teleservices Ltd. This event is expected to engage stakeholders from diverse sectors, including consumer affairs, fintech, and technology organisations such as Nasscom and the Fintech Association for Consumer Empowerment (FACE).

    The collaborative efforts of TRAI and access providers have already driven remarkable progress. Over 13,000 Principal Entities have registered their communication chains with access providers, with many more registrations underway. Access providers are also issuing warning notices to entities that have yet to comply, emphasising the urgency of completing these declarations.

    As the 30 November deadline approaches, all principal entities and telemarketers are urged to prioritise compliance. Failure to adhere to the defined telemarketer chain will result in message rejections, reinforcing TRAI’s resolve to uphold consumer rights and regulatory standards.

  • TRAI reports 940 mn broadband users & telecom growth surge

    TRAI reports 940 mn broadband users & telecom growth surge

    Mumbai: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released its latest report on telecom subscription data as of 30 June 2024. The total number of broadband subscribers in India has reached 940.75 million, marking a steady increase with wireless broadband subscribers numbering 898.92 million and wireline broadband subscribers at 41.83 million. This represents a modest growth of 0.60 per cent in the broadband segment over the past month.

    In terms of telephone subscriptions, the country now has 1,205.64 million total subscribers, including both wireless and wireline connections. Urban areas account for 667.13 million of these subscribers, while rural areas contribute 538.51 million. The overall tele-density has seen a slight rise to 85.95 per cent from the previous month’s 85.87 per cent.

    Mobile number portability (MNP) statistics show that 11.84 million requests were recorded in June 2024, bringing the cumulative total since MNP’s introduction to 997.44 million. The highest volume of MNP requests were concentrated in Uttar Pradesh-East and Maharashtra, indicating significant consumer movement within the telecom sector.

    The number of active wireless subscribers, determined by the peak visitor location register (VLR), was 1,061.04 million for June 2024. This indicates that 90.65 per cent of the total wireless subscriber base was actively using their services.

    Among broadband service providers, Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd leads with 488.94 million subscribers, followed by Bharti Airtel Ltd. with 281.36 million and Vodafone Idea Ltd. with 127.82 million. The top five broadband providers collectively hold a dominant market share of 98.37 per cent.

    The wireline segment has seen a growth of 0.37 million subscribers, bringing the total to 35.11 million and raising the wireline tele-density to 2.50 per cent. Wireless subscribers have increased to 1,170.53 million, with a growth rate of 0.13 per cent for the month.

    In terms of market shares, private access service providers dominate the wireless segment with a market share of 92.51 per cent, while BSNL and MTNL together hold a 7.49 per cent share. In the wireline sector, PSUs account for 26.08 per cent of the market share as of June 2024.
     

  • Vi Business hosts 13th edition of corporate golf tournament Vi TeeWalk 2024

    Vi Business hosts 13th edition of corporate golf tournament Vi TeeWalk 2024

    Mumbai: Vi Business, the enterprise arm of the leading telecom operator Vi, is back with the 13th edition of its multi-city corporate golf tournament – Vi TeeWalk 2024. Themed around partnerships leading to #RoadToVictory, Vi TeeWalk 2024 held its first city chapter for this year at the Prestige Golf Shire, Bengaluru with more than 70 senior corporate leaders from the city participating in the tournament.  

    Vi TeeWalk 2024- Bengaluru chapter was played in Texas Scramble format with each team consisting of four players.

    •    Winner: Team comprising of Arindam Chatterjee, Srinivas K, Harishwar Reddy and Rajesh Rao bagged the first position.
    •    First runner up: Team of Rajeev Ahluwalia, Jatinder Salwan, Nilanjan Roy and Atul Ujagar
    •    Second runner up: Team of Ravindra Takkar, Varun Berry, Pradeep Kar and Kazo Nishimura finished as the second runner-up.

    The annual golfing event Vi TeeWalk 2024 that marries the enduring sport of golf with seamless networking opportunities both on and off the course, is set to bring together another 150 plus top CXOs from multiple industries for the upcoming Mumbai & Delhi editions.

    Introducing a new feature in this year’s edition, the participants of Vi TeeWalk 2024 in each city will get a chance to play and engage with a professional golfer.

    As part of the programme, participants of the Bengaluru edition got an opportunity to play with the professional golfer Riddhima Dilawari, a 13 time winner on the Women’s Professional Golf Tour of India.  The Sunshine Ladies Tour member will also be in Mumbai while the Delhi leg participants will get an opportunity to play with Neha Tripathi, a 19 time winner on the Women’s Professional Golf Tour of India and finished second on the Order of Merit for 2023 season.

    City

    Venue

    Date

    Mumbai

    The Bombay Presidency Golf Club

    2 March 2024

    Delhi/NCR

    ITC Manesar

    9  March 2024

    Commenting on the 13th edition of Vi TeeWalk 2024, Vodafone Idea Ltd chief enterprise business officer Arvind Nevatia said “Over the years, Vi TeeWalk has earned a reputation as one of the most anticipated events in the corporate calendar, providing a dynamic forum for industry leaders to connect and engage. Vi TeeWalk 2024 is more than just a golf tournament; it is a testament to our commitment to building enduring relationships with our enterprise customers. Keeping it in line with the theme for the year #RoadToVictory, Vi TeeWalk 2024 aims to create a platform that brings different stakeholders at one platform for meaningful interactions, networking, and collaboration. We look forward to an exciting tournament that exemplifies the spirit of Vi Business.”

    Vi TeeWalk 2024 is more than just a golf tournament; it is an initiative aimed at strategically engaging with the CXOs. Golf is a popular sport, particularly followed by CXOs. According to reports, at least 90 percent of Fortune 500 CEOs play golf, with 80 percent of them stating that it helps establish new business relationships. Vi TeeWalk 2024 promises an unparalleled experience for participants, combining competitive golf with business advancement opportunities. The tournament underscores Vi Business’s dedication to meaningfully engaging with its enterprise customers in a relaxed and sporting environment, creating innumerable opportunities for strategic collaborations.

    myvi

  • Vi, Deloitte India, and start-ups partner to showcase consumer use cases at IMC 2023

    Vi, Deloitte India, and start-ups partner to showcase consumer use cases at IMC 2023

    Mumbai: Leading telecom operator, Vi has partnered with Deloitte India and new-age start-ups – iB Cricket and Yudiz Solutions to demonstrate its consumer use-cases at the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2023 scheduled on 27-29 October 2023 at Pragati Maiden in New Delhi. With these partnerships, Vi is poised to make a profound impact in the realms of gaming and education.

    At IMC 2023, Vi is bringing two captivating VR Games use-cases – VR Cricket in partnership with iB Cricket and VR Combat Shooting in partnership with Yudiz Solutions. In addition, it will also be showcasing XREduTech use-case in partnership with Deloitte India.

    VR Cricket will be using a VR headset where customers are transported into the heart of a cricket stadium. One bats in world-class VR stadiums and feels the roar of over 100,000 fans cheering as they play. This game-play will be live-streamed on a large TV screen, thereby leaving the audience with a great visual and cricketing feast. VR Combat Shooting is an exceptional VR gaming adventure that ensures players an adrenaline-pumping experience as they gear up for intense combat scenarios, all made possible by a VR headset and their VR perspective is mirrored on a large TV screen, offering an exhilarating shared experience.

    With Deloitte India, Vi is bringing a multifaceted metaverse experience that includes an educational journey into ISRO’s history and the Chandrayaan launch, as well as a tribute to the accomplishments of Rakesh Sharma, India’s first citizen in space. The solution transforms classroom training to an XR (eXtended Reality) based experience.

    In addition to the above use-cases, Vi will also be bringing an immersive cloud gaming service in partnership with CareGame and Vi AirFiber use-case a Smart Home experience where all devices are connected and can experience a high-speed 5G experience.  

    To experience the limitless potential of technology, exciting games with a lens of innovation at IMC 2023, visit the Vi booth in Hall 5 Booth #5.15.

  • Vi app brings live darshan of key Ganeshotsav shrines 2023

    Vi app brings live darshan of key Ganeshotsav shrines 2023

    Mumbai: The annual Ganesh festival is just around the corner and Maharashtra is eager to welcome the state’s most beloved deity, Lord Ganesha. During the ten-day Ganeshotsav between 19-28 September 2023, residents of Maharashtra dress up in their festive attire, chant aartis, feast on modaks, and visit innumerable Ganesha pandals dotting nooks and corners of cities, towns and villages in the state.

    It is also the time when devotees from different locations in India will throng to the Ashtavinayak shrines, as well as line up to get a view of the iconic Lalbaugcha Raja in Mumbai and Dagduseth Ganapati in Pune, the most celebrated and visited Ganesha Idols. To ensure that its valued users across the country can conveniently experience the divine presence of Lord Ganesha leading telecom operator Vi, will be live streaming Live Darshan of Lalbaugcha Raja, Dagduseth Ganapati as well as four Ashtavinayak shrines, through the Vi App and Vi Movies & TV App.

    Vi users can immerse themselves in the daily rituals and ‘aartis’ of Lalbaugcha Raja and Dagduseth idols during the entire ten-day festival from the comfort of their home. Accessible on mobile phones through the Vi Movies & TV App or Vi App in partnership with Shemaroo, the daily ‘aartis’ will be broadcast live.

    On Anant Chaturdashi, the concluding day of Ganeshotsav, Vi users will have the unique opportunity to virtually join the live-streamed visarjan procession of Lalbaugcha Raja, as lakhs of followers bid a fervent farewell to Ganpati Bappa. Vi has also set up specially designed LED screens at select Vi stores in Mumbai. These screens will broadcast the Live Darshan of Lalbaugcha Raja all through the day, ensuring that both visitors and the wider public can get the opportunity to bask in this divine experience.

    Live darshan of Morgaon, Siddhatek, Ranjangaon, and Theur deities will continue to be available for Vi users even after the ten-day Ganeshotsav concludes.

  • Mobile-based safety service Idea Sakhi launched exclusively for women

    Mobile-based safety service Idea Sakhi launched exclusively for women

    MUMBAI: To address the increasingly-felt, safety-related concerns of women who wish to step out and do more, brand Idea has designed a unique mobile based solution, Idea Sakhi. It is free of cost service available to all women customers using either prepaid or postpaid services of Idea, across the country. Accessible on both smartphones and basic feature phones, Idea Sakhi offers three extremely useful features – emergency alerts, emergency balance, and private number recharge.

    Launched during the International Women’s Week, this service has already been made available to women customers of Idea across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Assam and North East, Tamil Nadu including Chennai, Kerala, Gujarat, J&K, Maharashtra and Goa, Madya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and Delhi. It will be extended to all 22 circles within this month.

    Launching the Idea Sakhi service, Vodafone Idea Ltd operations director – marketing Avneesh Khosla said, “Technology can help overcome barriers and solve problems in the life of the consumer. With almost half of our population being women, and 59 per cent of them using a mobile phone, we are in a unique position to extend the benefits of technology for their safety and security. With Idea Sakhi, we are taking forward our long-term commitment of driving inclusion and deploying technology to serve a social purpose.”

    Speaking about the Idea Sakhi service Idea, Vodafone Idea Ltd national brand head Sunita Bangard said, “Brand Idea has always championed causes that help change lives. With Idea Sakhi, Brand Idea wishes to give women the freedom to live their lives and pursue their dreams and understand the need for women to feel safe when they step out of their homes. On this special occasion of International Women’s Week, we are happy to offer Idea Sakhi to the women of India, to feel more confident and safe – Ab idea Hai Udne Ka.”

  • DoT gives conditional green signal to the Vodafone Idea merger

    DoT gives conditional green signal to the Vodafone Idea merger

    MUMBAI: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has conditionally approved the merger of Vodafone India with Idea Cellular, the largest M&A deal in the sector, which will displace Bharti Airtel from the top spot after over 15 years. 

    The merger is expected to give a breather to both the debt-ridden firms, from cut-throat competition in the market where margins have hit rock bottom with free voice calls.

    “DoT has cleared the Vodafone-Idea merger today. They will have to meet conditions for final approval,” a source told the Press Trust of India, as per a report. The department has asked Idea Cellular to pay Rs 3926 crore in cash for Vodafone spectrum and furnish a bank guarantee of Rs 3342 crore, the source added.

    DoT’s conditions have been fortified after two rounds of legal opinion. The merger will result in a new entity, Vodafone Idea Ltd, which is expected to be better placed to take on competition from Reliance Jio Infocomm and Bharti Airtel. On their own, Idea and Vodafone have struggled to take on Jio and Airtel, widening their losses and losing revenue and subscriber market share. 

    Together, Vodafone Idea Ltd will have 37.5 per cent revenue market share and 39 per cent customer market share, or about 440 million subscribers, making it a stronger entity.

    The Aditya Birla Group has the right to acquire up to a 9.5 per cent additional stake from Vodafone under an agreed mechanism with a view to equalising the shareholdings over time. Birla is proposed to be the non-executive chairman of the merged entity and Balesh Sharma as the new CEO. Idea’s chief financial officer Akshaya Moondra will head the financial operations of the new entity as its CFO. Ambrish Jain, currently the deputy MD at Idea Cellular, is set to become the new chief operating officer.

    Vodafone will own 45.1 stakes in the combined entity, while Kumar Mangalam Birla-led Aditya Birla Group would have 26 per cent and Idea shareholders 28.9 per cent.

    Vodafone Idea Ltd will be capable of building substantial mobile data capacity, utilising the largest broadband spectrum portfolio with 34 blocks of 3G spectrum and 129 blocks 4G carriers across the country.

    Idea and Vodafone are separately paying rental for 6,300 mobile sites which will be synced for the merged entity in two years.