Vodafone Idea (Redirected from Vodafone Essar)
Vi | |
Company type | Semi-Government |
Industry | Telecommunications |
Founded | 31 August 2018 |
Founder | Vodafone Idea |
Headquarters | Mumbai (Corp.) Gandhinagar (Reg.) |
Key people |
|
Products | |
Revenue | ₹42,488 crore (US$5.3 billion) (2023) |
₹16,817 crore (US$2.1 billion) (2023) | |
₹−29,301 crore (US$−3.7 billion) (2023) | |
Total assets | ₹207,242 crore (US$26 billion) (2023) |
Total equity | ₹−74,359 crore (US$−9.3 billion) (2023) |
Owners |
|
Number of employees | 9226 (2023) |
Subsidiaries | YOU Broadband |
Website | myvi |
Vodafone Idea or Vi (stylised as V!) is an Indian mobile network operator with its headquarters based in Mumbai and Gandhinagar. It is an all-India integrated GSM operator offering 2G, 3G, 4G, LTE Advanced, VoLTE, and VoWiFi service. As of 31 September 2023, Vi has a subscriber base of 219.8 million, making it third largest mobile telecommunications network in India and 11th largest mobile telecommunications network in the world. 'Vodafone Idea Limited' was created on 31 August 2018 by the merger of Vodafone India and Idea Cellular. In 2020, the two separate brands Vodafone and Idea rebranded as Vi.
History
In March 2017, it was announced that Vodafone India and Idea Cellular would merge. The merger got approval from the Department of Telecommunications in July 2018. On 30 August 2018, National Company Law Tribunal gave the final nod to the Vodafone-Idea merger It was completed on 31 August 2018, and the new entity was named Vodafone Idea Limited. Under the terms of the deal, the Vodafone Group held a 45.2% stake in the combined entity, the Aditya Birla Group held 26% and the remaining shares were to be held by the public.
Vi lost a significant number of gross and active subscribers in the month of August 2020.
Until 7 September 2020, Vodafone Idea Limited operated two separate brands: Vodafone and Idea who both operated pre-paid and post-paid GSM service.
On 3 February 2023, the Government of India ordered the company to convert its interest dues worth 161.33 billion Indian Rupees ($1.96 billion) to equity at the rate of 10 rupees per share face value (well over then market value ~8.5), thus making the government the single biggest shareholder in the company.
Network
Spectrum frequency holding summary
Vi owns spectrum in 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz, 2500 MHz, 3500 MHz and 26 GHz bands across the country.
Telecom circle coverage | E-GSM/ FD-LTE 900MHz Band 8 |
GSM / FD-LTE 1800MHz Band 3 |
UMTS / FD-LTE 2100MHz Band 1 |
TD-LTE 2300MHz Band 40 |
TD-LTE 2500MHz Band 41 |
TD-NR 3500MHz Band n78 |
TD-NR 26GHz Band n258 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Delhi | |||||||
Mumbai | |||||||
Kolkata | |||||||
Andhra Pradesh & Telangana | |||||||
Gujarat | |||||||
Karnataka | |||||||
Maharashtra & Goa | |||||||
Tamil Nadu | |||||||
Haryana | |||||||
Kerala | |||||||
Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh | |||||||
Punjab | |||||||
Rajasthan | |||||||
Uttar Pradesh (East) | |||||||
Uttar Pradesh (West) | |||||||
West Bengal | |||||||
Assam | |||||||
Bihar & Jharkhand | |||||||
Himachal Pradesh | |||||||
Jammu and Kashmir & Ladakh | |||||||
North East | |||||||
Odisha |
This table contains Vi (Vodafone & Idea) radio frequency details because they had integrated their networks with each other and using one anchor network for both brands in all respective telecom circles. For example, Idea has started 4G services in Delhi and Kolkata telecom circle from May 2018 where the Vodafone is anchor network vice versa Vodafone has Started 4G services in Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh, Bihar & Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh & Telangana, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir telecom Circle's where Idea is Anchor network.
Network consolidation
By March 2019, Vi announced its network consolidation across major circles, easing network issues faced by consumers and also enhancing its 4G coverage. Announcements of Network Consolidation were made as below:
Enhanced Unified (2G, 3G, and 4G) coverage details
State | No of Towns Covered | No of Villages Covered | Coverage area %/km |
---|---|---|---|
Haryana | 145 | 6520 | 99.5% |
ROWB | 878 | 37585 | 97% |
Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh | 664 | 53130 | 60% |
Jammu and Kashmir | 110 | 3301 | |
AP & Telangana | 391 | 19700 | 92.5% |
Bihar & Jharkhand | 431 | 43503 | 79% |
HP | 59 | 11929 | |
NESA & Assam | 439 | 17850 | 41% |
Enhanced LTE (4G) coverage details
State | No of Towns Covered | No of districts Covered | No of Villages Covered | Population % |
---|---|---|---|---|
Haryana | 137 | 22 | 76.08% | |
ROWB | 838 | 27 | 78% | |
Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh | 633 | 77 | 52% | |
Jammu and Kashmir | 48 | 9 | 526 | 23.6% |
AP & Telangana | 381 | 23 | 8500 | 67% |
Bihar & Jharkhand | 343 | 56 | 19931 | 45.3% |
HP | 45 | 8 | 6082 | 43% |
NESA & Assam | 340 | 83 | 4200 | 70% |
Punjab | 227 | 24 | 10162 | 90% |
Vi Movies & TV
As of September 2023, Vi Movies & TV app is currently available for Vi subscribers on Android (above Android 5.1) and iOS devices (10.0 and above versions).
See also
- Companies based in Mumbai
- Telecommunications companies of India
- Axiata
- Aditya Birla Group
- Mobile phone companies of India
- Private equity portfolio companies
- Providence Equity Partners companies
- Internet service providers of India
- Indian companies established in 1995
- Telecommunications companies established in 1995
- Indian brands
- Former AT&T subsidiaries
- Former Tata Group subsidiaries
- Companies listed on the National Stock Exchange of India
- Companies listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange
- Vodafone