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Just last month, Jio, Vodafone and <keyword id="19896909" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="airtel" source="keywords">Airtel</keyword> were making headlines for announcing hikes in their tariff plans. Users across India were talking about the new rates and were comparing them with the new ones. Talking specifically about Jio, the company raised the cost of its plans by around 10 - 27 percent. If you are a Jio subscriber, here is some good news for you. The company has recently introduced a <keyword id="21380985" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="new-plan" source="keywords">new plan</keyword> under <keyword id="22851878" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rs-200" source="keywords">Rs 200</keyword> and it gives you some unlimited benefits. <h2>Jio introduces new Rs 198 <keyword id="21079302" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="prepaid-plan" source="keywords">prepaid plan</keyword></h2>Reliance-owned Jio quietly rolled out a new prepaid plan for its customers priced at Rs 198. This new offering seems to be designed to cater to users with high data consumption needs over a short period. The plan could also be a strategic move by Jio to enhance its average revenue per user (ARPU) while providing value to its customers. <h2>What the plan includes </h2>The Rs 198 prepaid plan comes with a 14-day service validity, making it a suitable option for users who require a substantial amount of data in a short timeframe. The plan includes the following benefits: Users will receive 2GB of data per day, totaling 28GB over the 14-day period. This high data limit is ideal for those who consume a lot of data daily, whether for streaming, gaming, or other online activities. Further, the plan includes unlimited voice calling, ensuring that users can stay connected with friends and family without worrying about running out of talk time. Subscribers will also receive 100 SMS per day, which can be used for messaging throughout the validity period. Beyond the core services, the Rs 198 plan also offers access to Jio’s suite of apps, including JioCloud, <keyword id="19940563" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="JioCinema" source="keywords">JioCinema</keyword>, and JioTV. These apps provide cloud storage, entertainment, and live TV services, adding further value to the plan. While the Rs 198 plan is a compelling option for heavy data users, it’s not the cheapest plan in Jio’s portfolio. The company’s most affordable offering is the Rs 189 plan, which provides a more basic set of features for users on a tighter budget. However, the Rs 198 plan’s high data allowance and additional benefits make it a strong contender for those who need more from their mobile service.

Reliance Jio launches new plan under Rs 200, get 2GB daily data and more

<ul><li><keyword id="19896911" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Reliance-Jio" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Reliance Jio" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Reliance Jio">Reliance Jio</keyword> and <keyword id="19896909" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Airtel" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Airtel" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Airtel">Airtel</keyword> have reported an increase in subscribers in May 2024.</li><li><keyword id="20116054" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vi" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Vi" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Vi">Vi</keyword> has once again reported a decline in subscribers, along with state-owned <keyword id="19970536" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BSNL" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="BSNL" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="BSNL">BSNL</keyword>.</li><li>The overall subscriber base in India has also recorded a significant increase.</li></ul> India’s top <keyword id="20055601" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="telecom-operators" source="keywords">telecom operators</keyword>, Reliance Jio and Airtel have recorded an increase in their subscribers in May 2024, while Vi has once again recorded a decline in its user base. The overall net additions to the Indian telecom user base in May 2024 was 2 million, up from 1.47 million in April 2024. This takes the total subscriber base from 1.167 billion in April 2024 to 1.169 billion in May 2024. <h2>Reliance Jio records 2.2 million subscribers</h2>Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Jio, which recently announced a<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/reliance-jio-and-airtel-price-hike-new-plans-and-how-you-can-save-money/articleshow/111331794.cms"> price hike</a> added 2.2 million subscribers in May 2024, further strengthening its leadership in the Indian telecom segment. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111512587" title="Jio vs Airtel vs Vi recharge plans comparison – plan benefits and price comparison after tariff hike" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> Jio’s subscriber base has increased from 472.42 million subscribers in April 2024 to 474.62 million subscribers in May 2024. Out of the 474.62 million subscribers, the company’s active subscriber base stood at 436.95 million, which is 92.06%. <h2>Airtel adds 1.25 million subscribers</h2>Sunil Mittal-led Bharti Airtel added 1.25 million subscribers in May 2024, taking its subscriber base to 387.77 million users, up from 386.52 million subscribers in April 2024. Like always, the company continues to enjoy a high active subscriber base. Airtel’s active subscribers stand at 384.16 million users out of its 386.52 million users, which is 99.07% of its total user base. <h2>Vi continues to bleed subscribers</h2>Despite various attempts from the company, Vi continues to lose subscribers. The company lost nearly a million users in May 2024 with a decline of 9,24,797 users. The company’s subscriber base decreased from 219.08 million in April 2024 to 218.16 million users in May 2024. Out of the 218.16 million users, the company’s active user base stands at 190.97 million users. <h2>State-run BSNL loses over half a million users</h2>State-run telco Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) reported a loss of 0.51 million subscribers in May 2024, taking its total user base from 86.84 million in April 2024 to 86.33 million in May 2024. BSNL was recently in the news as social media users protested against the price hike announced by Jio, Airtel and Vi, calling for users to port to BSNL. We will have to wait for a few months to know whether this movement actually transferred to real life or was just limited to social media. <h2>MNP requests continue to grow</h2>Mobile number portability (MNP), which allows users to shift from one telecom operator to another, recorded 12 million requests during April 2024. With this, the total number of MNP requests received since the introduction of this in November 2010 has reached 985.60 million. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/oneplus-nord-4-with-metal-back-snapdragon-7-gen-3-launched-in-india-starting-at-32999/articleshow/111787031.cms">OnePlus Nord 4 with metal back, Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 launched in India starting at ₹29,999</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/budget-2024-expectations-fame-scheme-aid-for-vehicle-scrapping-and-other-expectations-of-the-auto-industry/articleshow/111783199.cms">Budget 2024 Expectations: FAME scheme, aid for vehicle scrapping and other expectations of the auto industry</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/its-raining-discounts-maruti-suzuki-hyundai-tata-motors-and-others-offer-discounts-on-cars-as-sales-slowdown/articleshow/111688501.cms">It’s raining discounts – Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Tata Motors and others offer discounts on cars as sales slowdown</a>

Reliance Jio and Airtel added 3.45 million subscribers in May 2024, while Vi lost nearly a million

New Delhi: The merger of media assets of Reliance Industries and the India business of global media house the Walt Disney is expected to be complete by the end of the third quarter of this fiscal, according to a regulatory filing by billionaire Mukesh Ambani-led group. The fair trade regulator CCI has already approved the merger of Viacom 18 and <keyword id="19976122" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Star-India" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Star India" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Star India">Star India</keyword> and NCLT (National Company Law Tribunal) has sanctioned the scheme regarding it. "The companies are in the process of obtaining other requisite approvals for the completion of the transaction and transaction closer is expected in 3Q FY 25," informed Reliance Industries on Monday in its quarter earning statement. The merger of Reliance group-controlled media assets - TV18 Broadcast and E18 - with Network18 Media &amp; Investments has already been sanctioned by the NCLT and was made effective on October 3, it said. Earlier on September 27, the government approved the transfer of licenses relating to Non News &amp; Current Affairs TV channels held by media entities of Reliance Industries to Star India. "The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, vide its order dated September 27, has granted its approval for transfer of Licenses relating to Non News &amp; Current Affairs TV channels held by <keyword id="19976121" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Viacom18" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Viacom18" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Viacom18">Viacom18</keyword> Media Private Limited in favour of Star India," it had said. Viacom18 is the holding company that owns the media and entertainment business of billionaire Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries and Bodhi Tree Systems. Both sides are in the final stages of the merger, making some adjustments in the business as per the Competition Commission of India (CCI) directions. On August 30, the NCLT had approved the scheme of merger of Viacom18 Media and Digital 18 Media, holding media and entertainment assets of Reliance Industries with Star India. The scheme had proposed the transfer and vesting of Media Operations Undertaking from Viacom 18 and Jio Cinema into Digital18, which is a subsidiary of Viacom 18. This would be followed by "demerger, transfer and vesting of V18 Undertaking from Digital 18 into Star India". The merger of the media assets of Reliance Industries and The Walt Disney Co.'s India business will create the country's largest media empire worth over Rs 70,000 crore. Earlier, the CCI had said it has cleared the "proposed combination involving Reliance Industries Ltd, Viacom18 Media Pvt Ltd, Digital18 Media Ltd, Star India Pvt Ltd and Star Television Productions Ltd, subject to the compliance of voluntary modifications". Viacom18 is part of the RIL group, and Star India is wholly owned by The <keyword id="19986269" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Walt-Disney-Company" source="keywords">Walt Disney Company</keyword>. Star Television Productions, a company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands, is owned indirectly by Walt Disney. The CCI, however, did not disclose voluntary modifications in the original deal made by the two parties. As per the deal, Mukesh Ambani-led RIL and its affiliates will hold 63.16 per cent of the combined entity that will house two streaming services and 120 television channels. Walt Disney will hold the remaining 36.84 per cent stake in the combined entity, which will also be India's largest media house. Reliance Industries has also agreed to invest close to Rs 11,500 crore into the joint venture to give it the muscle to fight rivals like Japan's Sony and Netflix. Nita Ambani, wife of billionaire and RIL Chairman <keyword id="19916798" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mukesh-Ambani" source="keywords">Mukesh Ambani</keyword>, will head the joint venture, while Uday Shankar will be the vice-chairperson.

Reliance expects to complete merger with Disney's India business in Q3

New Delhi, Walt <keyword id="19899232" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="disney" source="keywords">Disney</keyword> CEO <keyword id="20023956" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bob-iger" source="keywords">Bob Iger</keyword> has said a joint venture with <keyword id="19936674" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="reliance" source="keywords">Reliance</keyword> Industries after merging its <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="india" source="keywords">India</keyword> business would benefit the company in terms of profit and also "derisk" its business in the Indian market. The merger deal will create a big entity and help it to stay in the market at a "significant level", said Iger at a Morgan Stanley investor conference earlier this week. "We had an opportunity to align with Reliance, which is obviously the company that has done very well there and one that we respect. And in doing so, end up owning part of a bigger media company. And we believe that, that not only should benefit us in terms of the bottom-line, but derisk us as well there," he said. Last month, Walt Disney Co. and Reliance Industries announced signing of binding pacts to merge their media operations in India. Under the deal, Reliance and its affiliates will hold 63.16 per cent and Disney will have 36.84 per cent in the JV, which will create India's leading media company that will house two streaming services and around 120 television channels. "We wanted to stay in India. We made a big investment in India when we purchased the assets of 21st Century Fox. We are one of the biggest media companies in India. But even though it is the most populous country in the world, we felt we want to be there because of that, we also know that there are challenges in that market," he said. Iger said, the merger will create a big entity and help it to stay in the market at a "significant level". "So, it's kind of the best of both worlds. We stay in the market at a significant level. We have a very good partner in Reliance, and we get to have a chance of growing a business and lowering the risk of doing so," he added. The transaction values the joint venture at Rs 70,352 crore (USD 8.5 billion) on a post-money basis, excluding synergies. Billionaire Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance has also agreed to invest at closing Rs 11,500 crore into the joint venture to give it the muscle to fight rivals such as Japan's Sony, and Netflix. Its OTT platform Disney + Hotstar has seen its paid subscriber base decline from around 55 million to 40 million in the first quarter of FY24 because of Reliance's <keyword id="19985346" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="jio-cinema" source="keywords">Jio Cinema</keyword> winning exclusive rights for live sports. The combined entity will have the largest OTT subscriber base. Disney + Hotstar was launched in India in 2020, post the acquisition of the entertainment assets of 21st Century Fox at a valuation of USD 71.3 billion, thereby taking over the operations of Star India and Hotstar. It housed entertainment and cinema channels such as StarPlus and StarGold as well as sports channels like Star Sports. While Disney + Hotstar rapidly increased its subscriber base initially with the streaming rights of cricket matches (IPL, World Cup), it lost the bid for the digital streaming rights in 2023-27 cycle, which was won by Reliance-backed Viacom18 for USD 720 billion, 12.92 per cent higher than what Star India had paid on an average per match value. Media ventures of Reliance are currently housed in Network 18, which owns TV18 news channels as well as a plethora of entertainment (under the 'Colors' brand) and sports channels. NW18 also has stakes in moneycontrol.com, bookmyshow and publishes magazines. NW18 owns news channels CNBC/CNNNews. Reliance separately owns a movie production arm - JioStudios, and majority stakes in two listed cable distribution companies, Den and <keyword id="20777796" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hathway" source="keywords">Hathway</keyword>. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/webstories/top-selling-cars-in-india-in-february-2024/slidelist/108323754.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/webstories/top-selling-cars-in-india-in-february-2024/slidelist/108323754.cms" target="_blank">Top selling cars in India in February 2024</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/xiaomi-14-and-xiaomi-14-ultra-with-snapdragon-8-gen-3-launched-in-india/articleshow/108304169.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/xiaomi-14-and-xiaomi-14-ultra-with-snapdragon-8-gen-3-launched-in-india/articleshow/108304169.cms" target="_blank">Xiaomi 14 and Xiaomi 14 Ultra with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 launched in India</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/retail-auto-sales-grow-by-13-in-february-but-elevated-inventory-levels-a-concern/articleshow/108289901.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/retail-auto-sales-grow-by-13-in-february-but-elevated-inventory-levels-a-concern/articleshow/108289901.cms" target="_blank">Retail auto sales grow by 13% in February, but elevated inventory levels a concern</a>

Merger with Reliance would boost company's profits and reduce risk in India: Disney CEO Bob Iger

<ul><li>Reliance Jio and Airtel have reported an increase in subscribers in July 2023.</li><li>Cash-strapped Vi has once again reported a decline in subscribers during the month.</li><li>There has been a significant increase in active subscribers of Airtel and Jio.</li></ul> Reliance Jio and Airtel have once gained subscribers at the cost of Vi in July 2023, continuing the ongoing trend. The troubled telco, which is the only private operator to have not rolled out 5G services in the country, lost 1.32 million subscribers in July 2023 according to data from Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). During this period, Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Jio has emerged as the biggest winner, gaining 3.9 million subscribers. Airtel on the other hand gained 1.52 million subscribers. State-owned BSNL also reported a decline of 1.41 million subscribers. With this, Jio’s subscriber base has increased to 442.49 million subscribers, followed by Airtel with 375.24 million subscribers. Vi is a distant third with 228.33 million subscribers. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Highest monthly addition in subscribers" comment="subhead" text="Highest monthly addition in subscribers">Highest monthly addition in subscribers</cmsannotation> The total mobile subscribers increased by 2.7 million users in July 2023, the highest monthly increase since May 2022. This has also resulted in an increase in active subscribers to 1046.41 million users in July 2023. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Jio continues to lead the industry" comment="subhead" text="Jio continues to lead the industry">Jio continues to lead the industry</cmsannotation> Jio has further strengthened its lead against Airtel and Vi with an increase of 3.9 million subscribers in July 2023. With this, the company’s total subscriber base has increased from 438.58 million to 442.49 million users. While Airtel has reported an increase of 1.52 million subscribers, its total subscriber base is still significantly behind Jio at 375.24 million. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Tariff hike unlikely before the 2024 elections" comment="subhead" text="Tariff hike unlikely before the 2024 elections">Tariff hike unlikely before the 2024 elections</cmsannotation> In good news for users, Kotak has predicted that a tariff hike is unlikely before the 2024 general elections. The competition among telcos has increased, making a tariff hike a difficult proposition. In July 2023, mobile number portability (MNP) requests surged to 11.8 million. This indicates increased competition among telcos to gain subscribers. “MNP requests stayed elevated at 11.8 mn, indicating intense competition to gain subs, with tariff hikes unlikely until after the 2024 general elections, in our view,” Kotak said in its report. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Interest in 5G to further decrease Vi’s subscribers" comment="subhead" text="Interest in 5G to further decrease Vi’s subscribers">Interest in 5G to further decrease Vi’s subscribers</cmsannotation> As Vi is the only major telco yet to roll out 5G services, the telco is expected to further lose subscribers in the coming months as users port out to Jio and Airtel to experience faster speeds. “Expect MNP requests to stay elevated partly due to Vi users porting out to experience 5G on Airtel and Jio,” said Jefferies in its report. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/jsw-infra-ipo-allotment-how-to-check-allotment-gmp-listing-date-and-more/articleshow/104033135.cms">JSW Infra IPO allotment – how to check allotment, GMP, listing date and more</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/pixel-8-launch-on-oct-4-from-camera-to-design-specifications-what-we-know-so-far/articleshow/103924696.cms">Pixel 8 launch on Oct 4 – From camera to design specifications, what we know so far</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/jioairfiber-launched-in-metros-plans-and-benefits-versus-the-airtel-xstream-airfiber/articleshow/103804858.cms">JioAirFiber launched in metros – plans and benefits versus the Airtel Xstream AirFiber</a>

Jio pips Airtel to gain more subscribers but Vi continues to bleed

Unless in a coma for the past several months, one would have come across the news of Anant Ambani, youngest son of Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, getting married to <keyword id="20178843" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Radhika-Merchant" source="keywords">Radhika Merchant</keyword>, daughter of Viren A. Merchant, on July 12 at Mumbai's Jio World Convention Center. The lavish wedding and pre-wedding events, following their engagement last year, drew nationwide attention for its grandeur and the presence of hundreds of celebrities and prominent personalities. Now, reports of the <keyword id="22409157" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="luxurious-gifts" source="keywords">luxurious gifts</keyword> given to Anant's close friends are also making waves. As per media reports, Anant Ambani surprised his groomsmen by giving each of them a watch worth ₹2 crore. These expensive <keyword id="22409155" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Audemars-Piguet-watches" source="keywords">Audemars Piguet watches</keyword> are creating a buzz online. Guests are posting videos of the lavish gift hampers that include these elegant watches, showing how grand Anant's gesture was. <div type="image" title="Watches" msid="111733513" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Screengrab from a video floating on the internet&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>A Reddit post revealed that Anant had ordered a custom set of 25 limited edition Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Luminary Edition watches. Famous recipients included Shah Rukh Khan, Ranveer Singh, Shikhar Pahariya, Veer Pahariya, and Meezaan Jafri, as deduced from social media updates and celebrity interactions. The watch Anant Ambani gifted has a 41 mm pink gold case and is 9.5 mm thick, with a see-through back and a secure crown. It has a pink gold dial with a special pattern, blue counters, pink gold hour markers, and glowing hands. The watch also features a pink gold inner bezel and a self-winding movement that shows the week, day, date, moon phase, month, leap year, and time. While Anant Ambani gifted Audemars Piguet watches to his groomsmen, Reliance employees also received Haldiram Bhujia as a wedding gift. <div type="twitter" handle="the_codewala" handlename="the_codewala" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1810972241594863814"></div>Several Reliance employees shared photos and videos on social media of the gift box they received before Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant's wedding on July 12. The red gift box has gold lettering that says: “With the divine grace of our gods and goddesses, we celebrate the wedding of Anant and Radhika. Best wishes, Nita and Mukesh Ambani.” (With inputs from TOI and Hindustan Times) SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/pm-narendra-modi-attends-anant-ambani-and-radhika-merchants-star-studded-wedding-event/articleshow/111719695.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">PM Narendra Modi attends Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant's star-studded wedding event</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/india/article/rahul-gandhi-takes-dig-at-politicians-attending-ambani-wedding-bash-while-commoners-are-dying-of-hunger/articleshow/111727513.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Rahul Gandhi takes dig at politicians attending Ambani wedding bash while commoners are “dying of hunger”</a>

Ambani wedding giveaways: ₹2 Crore Watches for SRK, Ranveer and Groomsmen, Bhujia for Reliance employees

<ul><li>In the last one year, Reliance <keyword id="2003276" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="jio" source="Orion">Jio</keyword>’s dealer commissions bill went up by a massive 87%, as per a Jeffries report. </li><li>The commissions can only grow in the coming years as <keyword id="4056036" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="jio-fiber" source="Orion">Jio Fiber</keyword> plans to increase its customer base from six million to 20 million. </li><li>Even as its network costs also increased, in terms of tower rentals and repair costs, Jio’s costs are much lower than that of its peers. </li></ul>Seven years after launching its services and three years after it launched its premium Jio Fibre services, Reliance Jio has opened its purse strings to its dealers and sales channels. In the last one year, according to a Jeffries report, its dealer commissions bill went up by a massive 87%, and this momentum is likely to continue for the next year too. “This was possibly due to continued scale-up of home-broadband and rise in commission intensity. Jio's dealer commissions at 3.4% of sales are now in line with that of peers,” the report said. However, its biggest dealer is Reliance Retail with over 12,000 stores across India. The commissions that the retailer earned is to the tune of ₹2,580 crore in FY22. Its overall sales and distribution expenses declined 6% despite a 34% rise in gross subscriber additions during FY22, annually. However, the commissions and channel expenses might grow as it’s hoping for a massive growth in these connections. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="93432238" title="Mukesh Ambani is all set to do a ‘Jio’ with green energy" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> Jio Fiber has a little over six million customers and has set a target to grow it to 20 million. But these commissions increase will not change the carefully curated economics of Jio’s operations even as its capex is all set to increase and free-cash flows are affected, after it bought fresh 5G spectrum. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Tower costs, rentals lower" comment="subhead" text="Tower costs, rentals lower">Tower costs, rentals lower</cmsannotation> The network costs of Jio too went up by 13% year on year, driven by fiber usage charges and power and fuel costs. Its revenues grew at a sharper pace than these costs. “Given the rising gap in the revenues booked by the fiber company and costs recognised by Reliance Jio Infocomm, these costs are likely to grow at a rapid pace in FY23 as well,” Jeffries said. In terms of most other costs, Jio runs a tight operation as compared to its peers. According to a Jefferies report, Reliance Jio’s average rent cost per tower is 30-40% lower than its rivals. Even repairs and maintenance costs of these towers is half of what Airtel and Vodafone Idea pay, and the report says this is because of the newer network technologies used by Jio. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="93516727" title="Jio vs Airtel: Which one will offer faster and more reliable 5G services?" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> In the year under review, the fuel costs of Jio’s sites rose by 14%. “This is largely in line with that for Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea. Repair and maintenance costs grew 57% year on year. Even after this rise, Jio's repair and maintenance costs per site remained 50% lower than peers, mainly due to a much newer network,” the report said. This is one part of the economics of Jio’s strategy that allows it to remain the most competitive player in the market, in spite of its recent 5G spectrum purchase bill that was twice what Airtel paid for. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/jio-airtel-could-emerge-stronger-weaking-vodafone-idea-further-say-analysts/articleshow/93499353.cms">Jio, Airtel could emerge stronger weakening Vodafone Idea further, say analysts</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/jio-vs-airtel-which-one-will-offer-faster-and-more-reliable-5g-services/articleshow/93516727.cms">Jio vs Airtel: Which one will offer faster and more reliable 5G services?</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/mukesh-ambani-is-all-set-to-do-a-jio-with-green-energy/articleshow/93432238.cms">Mukesh Ambani is all set to do a ‘Jio’ with green energy</a>

The economics behind Reliance Jio’s operations

<ul><li><keyword id="1553175" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="vodafone-idea" source="Orion">Vodafone Idea</keyword>’s shares zoomed on Monday after the government agreed to convert interest dues worth ₹16,133 crore into equity.</li><li>The equity conversion will make the government the largest shareholder of Vodafone Idea, with a 33% stake.</li><li>The government will remain a passive investor, leaving the Aditya Birla Group and Vodafone Plc as the primary decision makers of the telco.</li></ul>Vodafone Idea’s shares zoomed by 25% on Monday hitting an upper circuit, after the government agreed to convert interest dues worth ₹16,133 crore into equity. The move breathed a fresh lease of life into the telco’s attempts to raise funds to make payments to vendors and sign contracts with telecom equipment makers and roll out its 5G network. The share price of the troubled telco is back to its December 2022 levels, erasing the losses it saw this year, so far. <div type="image" title="Vodafone Idea share price April 2022 to Feb 2023." msid="97642952" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Vodafone Idea share price in FY23&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> “The total amount to be converted into equity shares is ₹16133,18,48,990. The Company has been directed to issue 1613,31,84,899 equity shares of the face value of ₹10 each at an issue price of ₹10 each,” Vodafone Idea said in an exchange filing on February 3. The equity conversion will pave the way for the government to become the largest shareholder of Vodafone Idea, long after the telecom reforms package was <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/telecom-relief-package-airtel-vodafone-idea-get-four-year-moratorium-on-agr-dues/articleshow/86227218.cms">announced in September 2021</a>. As a result of this, the Aditya Birla Group’s stake will stand at 31.8%, while Vodafone Plc’s stake will be at 18.3%. This is a reduction from the existing stake of 75% held by the two promoters. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="86221662" title="Government picking up a stake in Vodafone Idea ‘might be a remedy worse than the disease’, say experts" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> However, Aditya Birla Group, and Vodafone Plc, will continue to drive the company. Vodafone Idea’s management has already underlined that the government will neither take a seat on the company’s board, nor will it take decisions regarding the company’s operations. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Capital infusion key to Vodafone Idea’s future" comment="subhead" text="Capital infusion key to Vodafone Idea’s future">Capital infusion key to Vodafone Idea’s future</cmsannotation> Capital infusion remains a key to Vodafone Idea’s future, according to analysts. The telco has been struggling to retain subscribers while its rivals <keyword id="6354504" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="reliance-jio" source="Orion">Reliance Jio</keyword> and Bharti Airtel have seen both their subscriber numbers as well as the average revenue per user (ARPU) climb up each quarter since FY22. In the company’s post-result investor call in Q2, Vodafone Idea’s chief executive officer Akshaya Moondra had said, ‘’We are trying to close the funding quickly so that some of the backlog of vendor payments that we have can be addressed.” Vodafone Idea needs funds not just to fund its capital expenditure requirements, but also to service its debt. According to a Motilal Oswal report, its current earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of ₹8,700 crore in FY23 is inadequate to service debt. Capex is another piece of puzzle that the telco needs to solve. Vodafone Idea is yet to roll out its 5G offerings even as Jio and Airtel 5G services have been available in several parts of the country since October 2022. “The much-awaited capital raise remains critical to provide immediate liquidity and invest in the rollout of 5G and extending 4G infrastructure. Vodafone Idea acquired 5G spectrum in the 3300Mhz and 26GHz bands in the recent auction (September 2022) but unlike Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, it has not deployed the spectrum and remains significantly behind in 4G network rollout too,” said the Motilal Oswal report. It remains to be seen if the equity conversion gives investors enough confidence about the future of Vodafone Idea, and whether it will be enough for them to infuse funds that the telco needs desperately. <div type="javascript" title="Custom" contenttype="Text"><cdata><![CDATA[]]></cdata></div> SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/adani-stocks-59844-crore-market-capitalisation-wiped-out-today-in-morning-trading/articleshow/97638076.cms">Adani group stocks continue to plummet – lose ₹59,844 crore in market capitalisation on Monday</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/adanis-stock-rout-can-impact-its-ability-to-raise-capital-or-refinance-debt-says-moodys/articleshow/97582403.cms">Adani’s stock rout can impact its ability to raise capital or refinance debt, says Moody’s</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/budget-for-the-amrit-kaal-powered-by-capex-rooted-in-fiscal-consolidation/articleshow/97551916.cms">Budget for the Amrit Kaal: Powered by capex, rooted in fiscal consolidation</a>

Vodafone Idea shares hit 25% upper circuit after govt agrees to convert ₹16,133 cr dues into equity

<keyword id="6354504" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reliance-Jio" source="Orion">Reliance Jio</keyword> on Tuesday announced the Beta trial of its True-5G services on Dussehra for <keyword id="2003276" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="jio" source="Orion">Jio</keyword> users in four cities - Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, and Varanasi. The invites customers in these four cities will get unlimited 5G data with up to 1 Gbps+ speeds. The Beta trial service for other cities will be announced progressively as cities keep getting ready, said the company. The users will continue to avail of Beta trial "until the network coverage of a city is substantially complete to provide the best coverage and user experience to every customer," it said. The company said that invited 'Jio Welcome Offer' users will be automatically upgraded to the Jio True 5G service without needing to change their existing Jio SIM or 5G handset. Akash M. Ambani, Chairman, Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd, said that Prime Minister has given a clarion call for accelerated roll-out of 5G across India to realise the full potential of a Digital India. "In response, Jio has prepared an ambitious and the fastest ever 5G roll-out plan for a country of our size," said Ambani. Jio said it is also working with all handset brands to enable their 5G handsets to work seamlessly with Jio True 5G services so that customers have the most comprehensive range of 5G devices to choose from.

Reliance Jio to begin beta trial of 5G in four cities on Dussehra with unlimited data

<ul><li><keyword id="1553175" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vodafone-Idea" source="Orion">Vodafone Idea</keyword> reported a net loss of ₹7,596 crore in Q2, from ₹7,132 crore a year ago. </li><li>The telco also lost six million subscribers during the quarter, but its average revenue per user (ARPU) improved to ₹131 from ₹128 in the previous quarter. </li><li>Vi’s CEO Akshaya Moondra said the company is engaging with lenders and investors to raise funds for network expansion and 5G rollout. </li></ul>Vodafone Idea (Vi), India’s third largest telecom company, today reported a net loss of ₹7,596 crore in Q2, from ₹7,132 crore a year ago. The telco’s revenues during the quarter increased 12.9% year-on-year to ₹10,611 crore. However, Vi is now earning more from its customers. Its average revenue per user (ARPU) has increased both sequentially and on-year basis. At the same time, it has not been able to stem subscriber loss. In the September quarter, the telco lost 6 million subscribers, and its subscriber base stood at 234.4 million as at September 30, 2022. Vi’s ARPU edged up to ₹131 during Q2, from ₹128 in the previous quarter, and ₹109 in the same period last year. On a positive note, the telco reported a growth in the 4G subscriber base during Q2, with total 4G subscribers at 120.6 million at the end of the quarter, up from 119 million in the previous quarter. For comparison, in the same period previous year, Vi’s 4G subscriber base stood at 116.2 million. However, the telco’s pace of 4G subscriber addition has slowed down in Q2 this year – Vi added 1.5 million 4G subscribers this quarter, as against 3.3 million in the same period last year. Its net worth stood at a negative ₹76,417 crore, worsening from negative ₹69,261 crore in the previous quarter and negative ₹52,686 crore a year ago. Here’s Vodafone Idea’s Q2 in numbers: <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Particulars </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Q2 FY23 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Q1 FY23 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Q2 FY22 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Revenue </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹10,611 crore </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹10,407 crore </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹9,402 crore </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Net profit </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">-₹7,596 crore </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">-₹7,297 crore </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">-₹7,132 crore </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">ARPU </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹131 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹128 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.99609pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.99609pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹109 </td></tr></tbody></table> Source: Company reports <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Engaging with lenders and investors for 5G rollout, says Vodafone Idea" comment="subhead" text="Engaging with lenders and investors for 5G rollout, says Vodafone Idea">Engaging with lenders and investors for 5G rollout, says Vodafone Idea</cmsannotation> While its rivals <keyword id="6354504" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="reliance-jio" source="Orion">Reliance Jio</keyword> and Bharti Airtel have started rolling out 5G services in select parts of the country, Vi says it is in talks with stakeholders to get its 5G rollout going. “We continue to remain engaged with our lenders and investors for further fund raising to make required investments for network expansion and 5G rollout,” said Akshaya Moondra, CEO, Vi. Vi acquired 5G spectrum worth ₹18,799 crore, payable in 20 annual installments. Its rivals Airtel and Reliance Jio<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/jio-vs-airtel-which-one-will-offer-faster-and-more-reliable-5g-services/articleshow/93516727.cms"> acquired</a> spectrum worth ₹43,084 crore and ₹88,078 crore, respectively. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Subscriber churn worsens, but engagement sees an uptick" comment="subhead" text="Subscriber churn worsens, but engagement sees an uptick">Subscriber churn worsens, but engagement sees an uptick</cmsannotation> Subscriber churn, which refers to the number of subscribers which have stopped paying for services, worsened during the quarter to 4.3%. For context, it stood at 2.9% in the same period last year, and 3.5% in the previous quarter. On the other hand, customer engagement edged up during the September quarter. Data usage stood at 15GB per month (per user) in Q2, up from 14.5GB a year ago. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/september-earnings-on-track-but-its-time-to-tone-down-optimism-says-kotak-institutional-equities/articleshow/95272073.cms">September earnings on track, but it’s time to tone down optimism says Kotak Institutional Equities</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/hdfc-reports-18-year-on-year-rise-in-q2-net-profit-to-4454-crore/articleshow/95279744.cms">HDFC reports 18% year-on-year rise in Q2 net profit to ₹4,454 crore</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/interest-rates-on-deposits-need-to-go-up-say-experts-as-share-of-fds-in-household-financial-assets-drops/articleshow/95275488.cms">Interest rates on deposits need to go up, say experts, as share of FDs in household financial assets drops</a>

Vodafone Idea’s Q2 loss widens to ₹7,596 crore

<ul><li><keyword id="1553175" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="vodafone-idea" source="Orion">Vodafone Idea</keyword>’s board of directors is scheduled to meet on October 21 to consider raising funds. </li><li>The meeting comes at a crucial time, when <keyword id="6375231" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="indus-towers" source="Orion">Indus Towers</keyword>, one of the main tower providers of Vodafone Idea, has demanded the telco pay up its dues. </li><li>Shares of the telco gained after the fundraising announcement. </li></ul>Vodafone Idea’s board of directors will meet on October 21 to consider fundraising via convertible debentures, the telco said in an exchange filing, without divulging details about the quantum of the fund raise. "We wish to inform you that a meeting of the board of directors of the company is scheduled to be held on October 21, 2022, inter-alia, to consider and evaluate a proposal for issuance of debenture securities convertible into equity shares on a preferential/private placement basis to a vendor," Vodafone Idea said in its exchange filing. Convertible debenture is a long-term debt that can be converted into equity shares after a specified period. Vodafone Idea’s latest attempt to raise funds is for investing in its network and also to pay its dues to its service providers, including Indus Towers – a tower company in which rival telco Bharti <keyword id="15491" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="airtel" source="Orion">Airtel</keyword> holds a 47.76% stake. Notably, Vodafone Idea’s parent company, <keyword id="105732" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="vodafone-group-plc" source="Orion">Vodafone Group Plc</keyword>, also holds a 21.05% stake in Indus Towers. Vodafone Idea<a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/telecom/clear-dues-or-lose-tower-access-indus-towers-to-vodafone-idea/articleshow/94492219.cms"> reportedly</a> owes over ₹7,000 crore to Indus Towers. The tower company has asked the telco to clear dues or risk losing access to towers from November. Reacting to the news, Vodafone Idea’s shares rose 1% to ₹8.55. This is, however, still below the ₹10 level that the government is reportedly waiting for before converting its debt to equity, as part of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/telecom-relief-package-airtel-vodafone-idea-get-four-year-moratorium-on-agr-dues/articleshow/86227218.cms">telecom relief package announced in 2021</a>. The package gave telcos an option to go for a four-year moratorium on their adjusted gross revenue (AGR) and spectrum dues, among other things. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="The tide that won’t stem" comment="subhead" text="The tide that won’t stem">The tide that won’t stem</cmsannotation> In 2022 so far, Vodafone Idea has lost over 12 million subscribers, according to data from telecom regulator TRAI. Its rivals <keyword id="6354504" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="reliance-jio" source="Orion">Reliance Jio</keyword> and Airtel continue to add subscribers at a rapid pace. <div type="image" title="Airtel Reliance Jio Vodafone Idea subscriber additions Jan-Aug 2022." msid="94963881" hostid="261" sizebytes="23682" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Telecom subscriber trends in 2022 so far&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> While the telecom sector is<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/telecom-sector-to-ring-in-stability-in-q2-jio-and-airtel-expected-to-grow-stronger-vi-weaker/articleshow/94709309.cms"> expected</a> to ring in stability in Q2, analysts suggest Vodafone Idea will continue to grow weaker. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/maggi-maker-nestl-indias-net-profit-grows-8-3-to-668-crore-in-q2/articleshow/94960866.cms">Maggi maker Nestlé India’s net profit grows 8.3% to ₹668 crore in Q2</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/moonlighting-is-fine-as-long-as-it-is-unrelated-to-what-we-do-for-our-clients-says-lt-tech/articleshow/94958101.cms">Moonlighting is fine as long as it is unrelated to what we do for our clients, says L&amp;T Tech</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/jaypee-and-amrapali-groups-collapse-leaving-buyers-in-the-lurch/articleshow/94961447.cms">70,000 housing units in trouble after Jaypee and Amrapali groups head into financial trouble</a>

Vodafone Idea board to meet on October 21 to consider fundraising via convertible debentures

<ul><li>Skoda recently launched the Kylaq SUV, the company’s latest entry-level subcompact SUV.</li><li>The company has announced its plans to launch an electric vehicle in India in 2025.</li><li>The Skoda Enyaq EV’s updated version will debut in India next year.</li></ul>Skoda Auto will roll out its electric vehicle in the Indian market in 2025. In an exclusive interaction with ANI Skoda Auto Brand Director Petr Janeba says Skoda's European bestseller, the Enyaq EV, was initially slated for an Indian debut this year but postponed to next year for an updated version. Janeba says a significant facelift planned for the model in March has led the company to hold off until the new version, featuring Skoda's latest design language, is ready. He said, "We have one of the best-selling EVs in Europe our European Enyaq. The car was tested, and the car was prepared for India. We have actually stopped bringing the car this year. Because there will be a huge facelift of the Skoda Enyaq coming in March following the new design language." He added, "We actually can choose one of the three EV cars coming to India or all three." Skoda is closely monitoring India's changing EV policies, especially the CAFE3 (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) norms set to be introduced in April 2027. On further investment in India Janeba highlighted the importance of a consistent regulatory environment, as state-level EV and hybrid tax policies currently vary widely, impacting long-term planning. "And within this plan, we understand nobody can survive in India without having a deeper localised CKD EV in India. We are ready for this. We are ready in Pune to make another investment for the car and for the production to get it. At the end of the day, we still take our time in order to decide the right measure car for the market, seeing the new competitors coming on the EVs." Said Janeba Skoda already has two manufacturing units in India, in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar and Pune. EVs are planned to be manufactured in their Pune plant For the production, he stated, "In the same factory in Pune, Chakan we will be producing EVs. Currently we have increased because of the Kylaq the production capacity in Pune to 250,000 units a year and we will be increasing further once it is needed either for the current cars because of the export or because of the Indian demand or for the new cars like EVs." The facility is also set to support EV production with deep localisation efforts to make Skoda's electric lineup more affordable for Indian consumers. Piyush Arora, India CEO, Skoda Auto echoed this sentiment, expressing confidence that Skoda's expanded product offerings will capture the growing sub-four-meter SUV segment, a category that represents nearly 30 per cent of India's automotive market. "With the new Kodiaq and other upcoming models, we are aiming for a 5 per cent market share in the medium term," he added. Skoda's commitment to India extends beyond manufacturing. Arora highlighted the company's investment in local engineering talent and its dealer and supplier networks. "Our technical centre in India plays a crucial role in developing products like the Kodiaq, which was fully designed in India," he noted, calling it a testament to India's engineering prowess and the company's long-term vision for the region. With inputs from ANI. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/skoda-kylaq-suv-launched-in-india-starting-at-7-89-lakh/articleshow/115013668.cms">Skoda Kylaq SUV launched in India starting at ₹7.89 lakh</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/webstories/swiggy-ipo-gmp-risk-factors-and-all-you-need-to-know/slidelist/115004939.cms">Swiggy IPO – GMP, risk factors and all you need to know</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/reliance-jio-ipo-indias-biggest-telco-to-go-public-in-2025-retail-ipo-further-away/articleshow/114944496.cms">Reliance Jio IPO – India’s biggest telco to go public in 2025, retail IPO further away</a>

Skoda plans to launch an updated electric vehicle in India in 2025

<ul><li><keyword id="2003276" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="jio" source="Orion">Jio</keyword> lost over 10 million subscribers in the September quarter – a first for the telco in the past 10 quarters.</li><li>This means that the rate of its active subscribers has increased, which means there are more subscribers than before who are actively paying money to Jio.</li><li><keyword id="11900973" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="jiophone-next" source="Orion">JioPhone Next</keyword> is the next weapon in the company's arsenal as it looks to recoup the loss in its subscriber base.</li></ul>Reliance Jio had a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/reliance-confirms-jiophone-next-will-be-launched-in-time-for-diwali/articleshow/87211099.cms">subdued quarter this September</a> as it saw its subscriber base erode for the first time in 10 quarters, putting the brakes on the <keyword id="3820" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mukesh-ambani" source="Orion">Mukesh Ambani</keyword>-led telco’s juggernaut. But there could still be a silver lining for Mukesh Ambani’s company. “A combination of strong data consumption along with the deactivation of low-paying users contributed to Jio’s decent sequential ARPU growth,” Nitin Soni, Senior Director, Fitch Ratings told <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/telecom/telecom-news/subdued-q2-show-makes-tariff-hike-difficult-for-reliance-jio/articleshow/87246854.cms">The Economic Times</a>. Essentially, subscribers who use Jio as a second SIM either to retain their number or to continue receiving calls, have likely left the company. With these subscribers switching the boat, it leaves Jio with a higher number of subscribers who pay money to use the telco’s services, translating to better revenue collection. Reliance Jio has traditionally suffered a much inferior rate of active subscribers when compared to its rivals Airtel and Vodafone Idea. According to the latest data published by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), Reliance Jio’s active subscriber rate is a shade under 80%. In comparison, Airtel’s rate is nearly 98%, while Vodafone Idea is a little over 87%. Active subscribers are those which pay for an active plan to their telecom provider. These subscribers are important as higher the rate of active subscribers, higher the amount of money the telecom company earns from them. <div type="image" title="Jio subscribers + net addition Q2 FY22." msid="87251642" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Reliance Jio subscribers.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Jio has been saddled with a sub-80% active subscriber rate for a long time now. One of the reasons behind this is that the company does not terminate or suspend services after the expiry of its users’ plans – Jio subscribers can continue to enjoy incoming services even after their plans expire. This is not the case with Airtel and Vodafone Idea, who only offer a seven-day grace period for their subscribers post expiry of their plans. This means their users will have to pay at least ₹79 per month, depending on their respective circles. Given that Jio has so far refrained from forcing its subscribers to have an active plan for basic services like incoming calls and messages, and that it has also avoided raising tariffs, the telco has only one option left – a higher active subscriber rate, resulting in improved realisations from its customer base. It is worth noting that Reliance Jio has a huge lead over Airtel when it comes to the number of total subscribers – 429.5 million versus Airtel’s 354 million. However, until June 2021, it was in a neck-to-neck fight with Airtel in terms of active subscribers. Jio finally overtook Airtel in July this year, and now has a lead of 4 million over Airtel. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Subdued Q2 performance could put tariff hikes on the back-burner" comment="subhead" text="Subdued Q2 performance could put tariff hikes on the back-burner">Subdued Q2 performance could put tariff hikes on the back-burner</cmsannotation> Analysts believe the subdued performance in the second quarter could put tariff hikes on the back-burner. US brokerage Jefferies called Jio’s performance “operationally weak”, and added “a repeat of its 2Q [second quarter] subscriber performance in 3Q [third quarter] might dash hopes of a tariff hike in the near/medium term,” according to a report by <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/telecom/telecom-news/subdued-q2-show-makes-tariff-hike-difficult-for-reliance-jio/articleshow/87246854.cms">The Economic Times</a>. JioPhone Next’s Diwali launch could bring back some of the lost sheen to the Mukesh Ambani-led telco. “With its launch (around Diwali), the RIL management expects to re-engage some of Jio's subscribers in the lower pyramid, and bring them back into the Jio network,” JM Financial said in its report. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/reliance-confirms-jiophone-next-will-be-launched-in-time-for-diwali/articleshow/87211099.cms">Reliance confirms JioPhone Next will be launched in time for Diwali</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/loss-making-groww-is-now-the-most-valued-investment-platform-even-though-some-of-its-peers-make-profits/articleshow/87249142.cms">Loss-making Groww is now the most-valued investment platform even though some of its peers make profits</a>

You Searched For "Reliance Jio News" and got 13 results

Reliance Jio launches new plan under Rs 200, get 2GB daily data and more

Divyanshi Sharma

Reliance Jio and Airtel added 3.45 million subscribers in May 2024, while Vi lost nearly a million

Sourabh Jain

Reliance expects to complete merger with Disney's India business in Q3

PTI

Merger with Reliance would boost company's profits and reduce risk in India: Disney CEO Bob Iger

PTI

Jio pips Airtel to gain more subscribers but Vi continues to bleed

Sourabh Jain

Ambani wedding giveaways: ₹2 Crore Watches for SRK, Ranveer and Groomsmen, Bhujia for Reliance employees

Ayush Mehrotra

The economics behind Reliance Jio’s operations

Rounak Jain

Vodafone Idea shares hit 25% upper circuit after govt agrees to convert ₹16,133 cr dues into equity

Rounak Jain

Reliance Jio to begin beta trial of 5G in four cities on Dussehra with unlimited data

IANS

Vodafone Idea’s Q2 loss widens to ₹7,596 crore

Rounak Jain

Vodafone Idea board to meet on October 21 to consider fundraising via convertible debentures

Rounak Jain

Skoda plans to launch an updated electric vehicle in India in 2025

BI India Bureau

Reliance Jio lost subscribers for the first time in 10 quarters but there's good news for Mukesh Ambani in this too

Rounak Jain

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