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Knowledge never comes for free! But cash strapped <keyword id="1486742" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Uninor">Uninor</keyword> seems to be changing the norm. With its plans to expand and reach out to more customers across the country, Indian unit of Norway's <keyword id="6359476" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Telenor">Telenor</keyword>, Uninor will be providing its customers with free access to <keyword id="71187" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Wikipedia">Wikipedia</keyword>. 
 
Starting today, Wikipedia will be available for will be available for three months, according to a news report by The Economic Times. With the introduction of free Wikipedia and more such services in the pipeline, Uninor plans to have 50% of its users on the Internet by 2017, the company said in a statement. 
 
As part of the programme, Uninor employees will also engage with students and teachers to spread awareness on digital literacy with special focus on Wikipedia in the rural areas. 
 In 2012, Telenor committed to bring Wikipedia to its customers free of data charges through a partnership with the <keyword id="196610" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Wikimedia-Foundation">Wikimedia Foundation</keyword>. Following the agreement, free access to Wikipedia on mobile phones has been launched in Telenor business units in Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar and Montenegro. 
 
(image: india times)

Free Wikipedia, cash strapped Uninor’s ploy to get more customers on internet

The ‘sabse sasta’ telecom operator Uninor has renamed itself <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Telenor">Telenor</a> today. It is now a 100% subsidiary of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Telenor">Telenor</a>, thanks to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=FDI">FDI</a>. 
 
“We continue to focus on the three strategic pillars as a company – best in basic services, mass market distribution and low cost of operation. We’re the #1 operator in terms of price perception”, Vivek Sood, CEO, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Telenor">Telenor</a> India said. 
 
The brand looks to refresh its identity after the 2012 fiasco and ramp up its India operations. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Telenor">Telenor</a> India currently contributes 6% to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Telenor">Telenor</a>’s global revenue and 12% of its Asia revenue. 
 
“As a committed shareholder, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Telenor">Telenor</a> continues to invest in our business. Even after 2012 when we went through difficult times, they’re still interested to create a long term story”, Sood said. 
 
Speaking at the launch, the Chief Executive was clear about the company’s target consumer base. 
 
“Uninor has typically positioned itself as the one with the lowest ARPU (price per min) operator. Our customers are not necessarily savvy, and need to be treated fairly. That’s our focus. It’s beyond sab se sasta (the cheapest)”, he said. 
 
The company launched its mobile app and is introducing call drop reimbursement across STD, ISD and local tariffs. 
 
“We’re also getting our network ready for the next stage of services. However, since the government guidelines have come very recently, it’s still too early to comment”, Sood affirms. 
 
However, when asked about the possibility of a 3G/4G rollout in a market of slipping call durations and tariffs, not to mention the ongoing smartphone revolution, Sood is dismissive. 
 “There is euphoria around <keyword id="122479" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="4G">4G</keyword> and 3G services. There’s still a lot of work to be done on the basic 2G services. Our internet penetration is around 25%. That’s not too different from what the large operators have. If there is a strong package of basic services customers can afford, they’ll want that. However, there is no urgency from our end”, he says. 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Telenor">Telenor</a> India currently has 47.5 million subscribers in the 6 circles they currently operate in.

Uninor is now Telenor. No 3G steam
to roll

It seems that people over 50 years of age are not making use of present day technology. As per the data released by <keyword id="93456" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Telenor-group">Telenor Group</keyword>, 6% of mobile users in India are over 50 years. 
 
Moreover, only 1% of total mobile internet users in India are over 50 years. 
 
Telenor Group released data from four Asian markets that indicated that senior citizens were not fully receiving the benefits of the mobile Internet. 
 
The research by the Group in four of its regional markets suggested that not all citizens in these societies were receiving benefits of connectivity. 
 
The study-‘The unconnected senior citizens of Asia’-drew customer data from four Telenor markets: India, Thailand, Bangladesh and Malaysia. The findings suggested that the senior segment in some of these markets represent as little as 2% of active mobile users, with still fewer using smartphones. 
 
A demographic breakdown showed that only 10% of Uninor’s subscribers in India were above 45 years. 
 
Meanwhile, of the total mobile phone users in India, only 6% are over 50 years of age. 
 
Sigve Brekke, Executive Vice President and Head of Asia operations, Telenor Group, said that it was matter of concern for Telenor as senior citizens were not availing services in their Asian markets. 
 
“The Internet can be a vital way of maintaining civic participation and even receiving basic citizen services in the near future, and thus the findings should be of interest to multiple stakeholders, from policy makers to corporations, families, and individuals. This is particularly true as several Asian societies anticipate increasingly aging populations: we must work to achieve connectivity for all, not just the young,” he said.

Shocking! Only 1% of people above 50 use Internet on mobilephones

To expand its network in India, Norway-based <keyword id="6359476" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Telenor">Telenor</keyword>'s Indian unit <a href="Uninor">Uninor</a> has signed a contract worth about $300 million with Chinese telecom gear maker <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Huawei">Huawei</a>, giving a three-year 2G network expansion and transformation deal. 
 With the help of this contract, <keyword id="1486742" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Uninor">Uninor</keyword> also intends to make its 4G network available in six circles - Uttar Pradesh East, Uttar Pradesh West, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Bihar+">Bihar</a> (including Jharkhand), <keyword id="37102" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Andhra-Pradesh">Andhra Pradesh</keyword>, Gujarat and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Maharashtra">Maharashtra</a>, reported the Economic Times. 
 As per the contract, <keyword id="6357456" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Huawei">Huawei</keyword> would transform around 24,000 sites of Uninor in these six major circles in the country. 
 
So far the telco has been working with Finnish telecom gear maker <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Nokia+">Nokia</a> Networks for 2G service deployments in India. <keyword id="2441437" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Nokia-Networks">Nokia Networks</keyword> currently deploying networks for Uninor's <keyword id="6354915" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Assam">Assam</keyword> circle, which is likely to start operations anytime this year. 
 
Moreover, the same equipment from Huawei can further transform into 4G networks with some tweaks, once Uninor finalizes its plans to offers 4G services in India, according to the person familiar with the development. 
 
Earlier, Uninor has said that it will introduce more sophisticated services using 4G LTE technology. 
 
Once its permit is converted into a unified licence, Uninor can offer 4G services without buying more spectrum than what it already has in the 1800 MHz band. A unified licence allows airwaves to be used to offer any technology — 2G, 3G or 4G. 
 
Analysts are of the view that the ecosystem for offering 4G over the 1800 MHz band (FDD-LTE), which Uninor has, is far more developed globally than the 2300 MHz band held by some Indian telcos. 
 
Uninor provided services in more than 46 million subscribers using 2G technology in the country. It added 1.3 million subscribers during the second quarter ended June 30, and said the subscription base was 22% higher than the same quarter last year. 
 
The telco said 26% of the customers were active data users, and is targeting 50% Internet customers by 2017. 
 
Uninor recently posted total revenues at NOK 1,362 million (about Rs 1,064.63 crore) for the second quarter, up from NOK 1,021 million (about Rs 798.05 crore) last year. It also narrowed operating loss to NOK 90 million (about Rs 70.30 crore). 
 
(Image: Reuters)

Uninor inks a deal with Huawei to expand its network in India

<keyword id="6359476" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Telenor">Telenor</keyword>, the Norwegian multinational telecommunications company that started its India operations in 2008, might soon be making an exit from the country, as its India telecom business hasn't been able to find a buyer so far. 
 
With no 3G or 4G services, the Norwegian telco silently stands in a corner, watching its rivals gaining spectrums as days pass, while Telenor has been confined to a few pockets. 
 
 
The Fornebu-headquartered company has spectrum in seven circles but out of 22 zones present in India, it operates in just six, with airwaves only in 1800 Mhz band. As of now, the company is said to be looking for a valuation between $1.6 billion and $1.8 billion (Rs 11,000-12,000 crore); however, experts believe that the best that it may be able to get is around $1 billion (Rs 6,800 crore), and the spectrum would be the main saleable asset. 
 
Ever since its debut, Telenor has invested over $3 billion in India, but to no avail. In fact, in 2012, it had even lost all its India licences, and Supreme Court annulling its licences among the 122 to tackle the 2G scam was a huge setback. 
 
As a ray of hope to survive in the world’s fastest growing mobile market, it has just deployed a technology that allows offering LTE mobile broadband on a narrow band of spectrum in Varanasi. By the end of this year, it plans to expand it to the six circles that it operates in. 
However, analysts are doubtful about the technology, saying that it has come too late for Telenor into the data market. 
 
<a href="http://www.digi.no/incoming/2015/01/28/telenor-fiber.jpg1/alternates/h1080/Telenor%20fiber.jpg">Image source</a>

8 years after its debut, and a year after its re-launch, 2G-struck Telenor might exit India citing limited presence

<keyword id="6359476" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Telenor">Telenor</keyword>, the Norwegian multinational telecommunications company, has reported a huge operating loss of around Rs 2,530 crore for its Indian telecom business, because of which it has threatened to exit India if it fails to procure spectrum at reasonable rates. 
 
This has happened almost at the same time when Telenor’s Indian arm is looking forward to expanding its 4G footprint, claiming the lowest tariff for these services as part of its affordable pricing strategy. 
 While announcing financial results in Norway, Telenor global CEO <keyword id="213014" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sigve-Brekke">Sigve Brekke</keyword> said, "Long terms presence in India is dependent on our ability to secure additional spectrum. We are not able to compete with current spectrum portfolio we have in growing data market." 
 
Brekke added that they are looking at solution to procure spectrum along with "a price that we can justify". 
 
"We are Looking at upcoming auctions and also looking at potential trading options... Need to be pragmatic to consider other alternatives if that turns out not to be a possible to find value focused solutions. We are looking at all sustainable business model option," Brekke said. 
 
"We are in India to make money, if we don't see return then we need to look at other alternatives," Telenor CFO Morten Karlsen Sorby said. 
 
Telenor has already launched 4G services in Varanasi, and is planning to roll out high speed services in 6 to 8 cities across its six circles, namely Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh East and West, Bihar, Gujarat and Maharashtra, in the coming two months. 
 
<a href="http://e24.vgc.no/drpublish/images/article/2015/11/19/23563896/1/990/2462836.jpg">Image source</a>

Telenor’s huge operating loss might ‘force’ it to exit India

NEW DELHI: <keyword id="6354287" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Bharti-Airtel">Bharti Airtel</keyword> could raise basic call rates for the first time in five years as it battles increasing input costs, a move that would make it the second major telco to do so after <keyword id="46907" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Reliance-communications">Reliance Communications</keyword> raised them for prepaid users last month. 
 
On the back of a robust earnings performance by Bharti in the March quarter, this would strengthen the notion that the telecom industry is on firmer financial footing after a damaging tariff war in 2009-11. 
 
Analysts, however, said that while India's largest telco needs to raise call tariffs to improve its financial health, the scope of the increase could be limited as its two top rivals - No. 3 Idea Cellular and No. 2 Vodafone India - have clearly said they won't touch the basic rate, or the call rate without discounts, and are happy just cutting freebies offered to users. 
 "The fact is that these levels of voice pricing are absolutely unsustainable" with inputs costs going up, including those for rolling out <keyword id="50752" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="Networks">networks</keyword>, optical fibre, spectrum and diesel, Bharti Airtel's CEO for India and South Asia Gopal Vittal told reporters at a press conference. Diesel is needed to run generators at mobile tower sites. 
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"We have hitherto avoided taking headline tariffs (up) but at some point there may be an opportunity to raise headline tariffs," he said, adding however that the priority for the company remained reducing discounted minutes. 
 
Phone bills for postpaid users typically comprise basic call charges, also called headline rates, on which discounts such as free minutes are given to users based on their tariff plans. Prepaid users, who still make up over 95% of the mobile phone user base, typically get discount vouchers for a specific time period. 
 
By decreasing validity on prepaid vouchers, carriers force customers to use up talk time faster. By increasing headline voice tariffs, the minimum charge for a call paid by both prepaid and postpaid customers will rise. 
 
Higher rates allow operators to increase cash flow, thus allowing investments into improving networks and expanding operations. 
 
Several telcos have been quietly cutting discounts over the past three or four quarters, but have been leaving the basic rate untouched for fear of losing subscribers to competitors or smaller operators that offer cheaper tariff plans. However, the fourth-ranked Reliance Communications raised its headline tariffs in mid-April for prepaid customers by up to 20%, although it left postpaid headline rates untouched. 
 
Vittal's comments came a day after India's largest mobile phone company announced strong fourth-quarter results. Net profit jumped 89% from a year earlier on a 13.5% growth in revenue. 
 
While key parameters such as average revenue per user grew, the average realised rate from calls has been largely flat in the past two quarters, a trend seen in the Idea results as well, leaving some worried. 
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Analysts explained that while telcos, especially the major players, had been cutting discounts in circles where they are the leaders or the No. 2, they are loath to do the same, or have in fact given additional discounts, in areas where they aren't strong in a bid to attract or retain subscribers. Thus, the net effect on overall realised rates has been somewhat neutral to slightly lower in recent times. 
 
Realised rate is what a telco actually gets after all discounts and associated costs. 
 
Idea cut discounts last year, but this year in its weaker circles has once again leveraged pricing to acquire customers, CEO Himanshu Kapania said, due to which the overall realised rate was down by 2.5% across the country. 
 
"Over time we expect to fix that," he said, but ruled out raising basic rates. 
 
A Mumbai-based analyst said Bharti will be keeping a close eye on moves by Idea and Vodafone in the event of any move on headline rates. 
 
Vodafone declined comment but has said previously that it will work on discounts, without touching basic rates. 
 
To be sure, given that the industry seems to have put the tariff war behind it and is stabilising, the top telcos will eventually want to go ahead with increasing headline tariffs later this year, analysts said. 
 
The situation could change dramatically if Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Jio Infocomm enters the industry with a disruptive pricing offer. It's expected to launch voice and data services later this year. 
 
As things stand, "It's more of a do or die situation (for carriers) because this is the only industry which has seen the continuous downward movement of tariffs to a level that a per-minute call is cheaper than a glass of water," said Prashant Singhal, national telecom leader at Ernst &amp; Young. 
 
He expects headline tariffs to be higher by 15-20% by May 2015, though the increase would be gradual. "If headline tariffs are close to 60 paise per minute, the realised rate is around 30 paise, which is not sustainable," given the rising cost of operations. 
 
Bharti's strategy going forward is clear. It will focus on stripping out low revenue generating users, bringing in more postpaid customers who generate higher revenue and improve voice realisations, apart from investing in better data networks and driving cost efficiency, Vittal said. 
 
"With more rational competition, fewer competitors and rising data volume, I see headline tariffs going up marginally. I don't want to give a timeline to it but I don't see a reason why companies need to wait for a couple of quarters (to raise headline tariffs)," said Jaideep Ghosh, head of telecoms practice at KPMG. 
 Uninor, the Indian unit of Norway's <keyword id="6359476" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Telenor">Telenor</keyword>, said it will take note of any changes in industry tariffs and take appropriate steps if needed. 
 <keyword id="6365707" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="UBS">UBS</keyword> believes Bharti Airtel's stock could be re-rated significantly over the next 12 months if mobile voice rates continue to go up, data consumption and revenue rises thanks to cheaper smartphones and the "regulatory outlook continues to improve".

You Searched For "Uninor Telenor" and got 7 results

Free Wikipedia, cash strapped Uninor’s ploy to get more customers on internet

BI India Bureau

Uninor is now Telenor. No 3G steam to roll

Saikat Pyne

Shocking! Only 1% of people above 50 use Internet on mobilephones

BI India Bureau

Uninor inks a deal with Huawei to expand its network in India

BI India Bureau

8 years after its debut, and a year after its re-launch, 2G-struck Telenor might exit India citing limited presence

BI India Bureau

Telenor’s huge operating loss might ‘force’ it to exit India

BI India Bureau

Bharti Airtel To Look At Raising Headline Call Rates

Economic Times

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