Telecom Sector

Bharti Airtel gain subscribers; Vodafone Idea continues to trail

Jio, on the other hand, continues to remain as the largest carrier and additions may not appear high due to the base effect

India's telecom imports from China rose to $6.37 billion in FY24: Govt

India's imports of telecom instruments from China climbed to USD 6,371 million (about Rs 59,500 crore) in 2023-24, up from USD 5,553 million in 2019-20, Parliament was informed on Wednesday. Minister of State for Communications Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, in a written reply to Lok Sabha, said that total imports in the telecom instruments category rose from USD 13,333 million in 2019-20 to USD 17,010 million in 2023-24. "The imports under the principal commodity 'telecom instruments' have increased from USD 13,333 million in 2019-20 to 17,010 million in 2023-24. Further, the import from China during the period has increased from USD 5,553 million to 6,371 million," the minister said. To boost domestic manufacturing of telecom instruments, he said the government has introduced the Public Procurement order to give preference in government procurement for goods and services which meet the minimum domestic value addition criteria. He also noted the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme

Trai imposes graded penalties for failure to file tariffs in time

Trai tightens compliance norms with graded penalties and interest for delays in tariff reporting by telecom service providers

Telecom sector braces for higher expenses as diesel price increases

Tower firms rely on diesel generators to power sites in non-grid remote, rural areas

No plan to privatise BSNL, says Jyotiraditya Scindia in Lok Sabha

Communications minister says BSNL will remain a public enterprise, highlights subscriber growth and progress in 4G rollout

Telecom industry to need additional ARPU of ₹35-40 to get 15% ROCE: Ind-Ra

Ind-Ra says telcos need a Rs 35-40 ARPU increase to achieve 15% ROCE, indicating another round of tariff hikes even as profitability improves and capex intensity falls across the sector

₹45K cr capex plan may not help Vodafone Idea gain market share: Analysts

HSBC says Vodafone Idea's Rs 45,000 crore capex plan will not help it gain market share as Jio and Airtel outspend it significantly; tariff hikes and cash flow gains remain critical

Allow telcos to offer connectivity: DoT to Noida International Airport

DoT has asked Noida International Airport to allow telcos to set up networks under the Telecommunications Act 2023, marking its second such intervention after Navi Mumbai airport

Indian operators well placed as early adopters of AI in networks: Ekudden

India's rapid 5G rollout is powering early AI adoption in telecom networks, giving local operators a global edge in performance, efficiency and innovation

Bharti Airtel yet to hear from DoT on parity of AGR dues with Vodafone Idea

Airtel has sought parity with Vodafone Idea on AGR dues reassessment and says it has written multiple times to the DoT, while outlining its plans on data centres, ARPU growth and 5G strategy

India's telecom exports to gain competitive advantage from US trade deal

Reciprocal tariffs cut to 18% under the India-US trade deal are expected to improve margins and competitiveness for Indian telecom equipment and optic fibre makers

Indus Towers to decide on dividend payouts by Q4FY26: MD & CEO Prachur Sah

Indus Towers says dividend decision will be taken in Q4 FY26, factoring in Vodafone Idea's financial stability after AGR relief and changes in buyback taxation

CareEdge Ratings changes outlook for Vodafone Idea to positive from stable

AGR dues relief, improved operating performance and a large upcoming capex plan prompt the ratings agency to revise its outlook on the telecom operator

Voda Idea charts turnaround with ₹45,000 crore push as 'AGR fog' lifts

KM Birla says AGR overhang resolution a turning point for telco's revival

Vodafone Idea's Q3 FY26 results: Net loss narrows to ₹5,286 crore

Reassessment of AGR begins, No 3 carrier confident of servicing obligations

Bharti Airtel unlikely to take legal route for AGR relief, for now

No 2 carrier writes to DoT seeking reassessment of dues

AI regulation in India should follow risk-based approach: Trai chairman

Trai Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti said India should adopt a risk-based approach to AI regulation, with oversight limited to high-risk use cases while low-risk applications remain under self-regulation

Banks in wait-and-watch mode on fresh funding plans for Vodafone Idea

Studying the implications, and will take deeper look at the company's financials, bankers said

Upside in revenues and ARPUs expected in Q3FY26 for telcos: Brokerages

Telecom revenues seen rising up to 2.6% in Q3FY26, led by Jio and Airtel, while Vodafone Idea lags amid subscriber losses and modest ARPU gains

Level-playing field: Support to Vodafone Idea should not be exclusive

The five-year AGR moratorium gives Vodafone Idea crucial breathing space, but raises questions on fair competition and a level playing field in India's telecom sector