Bharti Airtel subscriber base thinning as customers move to JioPhone

Bharti Airtel has said the company came under pressure with the launch of Reliance Jio’s feature phones, as its low-end customers moved to the rival network.

The company’s Chief Executive Officer Gopal Vittal said it was impacted with the advent of JioPhone as Airtel’s feature phone customers made the shift.

“There was pressure,” Vittal said in a post-earnings call with analysts.

During the festive season of Dussehra and Diwali, Jio made its phone available at a special price of Rs 699, against the earlier price of Rs 1,500.

Bharti Airtel’s Chief Financial Officer Badal Bagri said the company’s focus on