Page 7 - Airtel

Airtel Xstream Play strengthens regional library; teams up with Sun NXT

Bharti Airtel on Wednesday announced that Airtel Xstream Play, the OTT aggregator service with over five million paid subscribers has strengthened the regional content library by partnering with Sun NXT. Sun NXT is the video streaming platform, owned and operated by the Sun TV Network. Announcing that Airtel Xstream Play has partnered with Sun NXT, the release said Airtel Xstream customers can avail of Sun NXT's 50,000-plus hours of content. This includes titles across blockbuster movies, exclusive series, TV shows, live TV, kid's content in a host of languages from Tamil to Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Bangla and Marathi. "Users can enjoy content from across 23 content apps on Airtel Xstream making it one of the largest bouquets of OTT content aggregated on a single app in India," according to a release. It also offers features of a single app, single subscription, single sign-in, unified content search, and AI-driven personalised curation for each user with users being able to ac

Telecom operators group asks govt to ban sale of unlicenced WiFi 6E routers

Cellular Operators Association of India says routers are available for sale on e-commerce platforms and through offline retailer

Bharti Airtel denies reports of interest in Vodafone's Indus Towers stake

Amid reports of buying UK-based Vodafone Group's 21 per cent stake in Indus Towers, Airtel affirmed that it is not in any such talks

Airtel arm Telesonic Networks penalised for irregularity in claiming ITC

Bharti Airtel Group firm Telesonic Networks has been penalised for alleged irregularity in claiming input tax credit, according to a regulatory filing. Bharti Airtel informed stock exchanges that the office of the Assistant Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Audit) in Bengaluru has passed an order under the Central Goods and Services Tax Act against a subsidiary of the company, levying a penalty of Rs 2,19,873. According to the filing, the penalty has been levied for "alleged irregular input tax credit claimed during the financial year 2018-19" on the company's subsidiary Telesonic Networks. The company received the order on March 30. "The maximum financial impact is to the extent of the penalty levied. The company does not agree with the order and will take appropriate action(s) for the same," the filing noted.

DoT imposes Rs 4 lakh fine on Airtel for violation of verification norms

The Department of Telecom has imposed a penalty of around Rs 4 lakh on Bharti Airtel for violation of subscriber verification norms in Delhi and Bihar circles. According to a regulatory filing by Bharti Airtel, the Department of Telecommunications, Delhi circle, has issued a notice imposing a penalty of Rs 2.55 lakh for alleged violation of subscriber verification norms. The Delhi circle has issued notice for "alleged violation of terms and conditions with respect to subscriber verification norms under the Licence Agreement, pursuant to Sample CAF Audit conducted by DoT for January 2023", the filing said. The department's Bihar circle has given a notice to the company, imposing a Rs 1.46 lakh fine for "alleged violation of subscriber verification norms", Bharti Airtel said in a separate filing. For Bihar circle, the notice has been issued "pursuant to Sample CAF Audit conducted by DoT for January 2024", the filing said. The company has, however, contested the penalty levied by DoT

Florida-based GQG Partners ups India bet with Bharti Airtel stake buy

The fund also acquires additional stake in Macrotech Developers

Sunil Bharti Mittal receives honorary Knighthood from King Charles III

Bharti Enterprises Founder and Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal on Wednesday became the first Indian citizen to be conferred an honorary Knighthood by Britain's King Charles III for services to UK and India business relations. In a list of honorary British awards unveiled by the UK Cabinet Office, Mittal receives a KBE under the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire one of the highest honours conferred by a British monarch. The 66-year-old entrepreneur said in a statement that he was deeply humbled by the gracious recognition from King Charles. The UK and India have historical relations, which are now entering a new era of increased cooperation and collaboration. I remain committed to working towards strengthening the economic and bilateral trade relationships between our two great nations, Mittal said. I am thankful to the government of the UK, whose support and keen attention to the needs of business has been critical in making the country an attractive investment destination,

Here's how Centre is gearing up BSNL to compete with private telecom peers

The measures include network upgradation, employee cost rationalisation and a proposal to provide more value-added services

Airtel announces in-flight connectivity for users on international routes

Partnership with UK-based Aeromobile will allow Airtel users surf the web, make online calls on 19 global carriers

Airtel's Nxtra to procure 140,208 MW renewable energy for data centres

Nxtra, the data centre unit of Bharti Airtel, on Wednesday announced an agreement with Ampln and Amplus Energy to procure an additional 140,208 MWh (megawatt-hour) of renewable energy. With this, Nxtra has fortified its existing commitment of reducing its carbon footprint through renewable energy sources annually by nearly 99,547 tCO2e (stands for 'tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent'). "As per the agreement, AmpIn Energy and Amplus Energy will set up captive solar and wind power plants of 48 MWdc and 24.3 MW, respectively, for Nxtra's data centres in Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Odisha," the release said, announcing the pact. This is in line with Nxtra's resolve to achieving its net-zero target of 2031 and further strengthen its credentials as India's largest chain of green data centres in the country, the release added. "This is in addition to Nxtra's multiple other interventions to reduce absolute scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions across its operations by 100 per cent by

Stocks to Watch today, Feb 9: LIC, Zomato, Airtel, Paytm, Hero Moto, ZEE

Stocks to Watch on Friday, February 9, 2024: LIC of India reported a 49.10 per cent year-on- year (Y-o-Y) growth in net profit, at Rs 9,444.4 crore, during Q3FY24

Real improvement in Arpu to come only with tariff repair: Airtel MD Vittal

Telecom operator Bharti Airtel on Tuesday said while there has been a clear rise in Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) on an 'organic basis', the "real improvement" in this metrics will come from "tariff repair". During the company's Q3 investor call, Bharti Airtel Managing Director Gopal Vittal asserted it is not a question of whether tariff repair will happen, but rather when it will happen. "The real improvement will come only if there is a tariff repair. As I have mentioned before it is not a question of if tariff repair will happen, it is a question of when it will happen," the Airtel top honcho said. There has been an improvement in ARPU in the absence of tariffs hikes too, he noted citing the organic levers. "We have seen improvement in ARPU in absence of tariffs hikes...yes, in some quarters it is higher, some quarters lower. But if you take slightly longer timeframe there is clearly a movement up in the ARPU on an organic basis, given the levers that I spoke about...post paid

Bharti Airtel Q3 results: Profit jumps 54% to Rs 2,442 cr; revenue up 5.8%

Airtel prepaid mobile customers are required to pay at least Rs 155 for about a month-long service as the company had raised rates by 56 per cent in January 2023

Airtel launches 14 stores in Pune, to display entire range of offerings

Bharti Airtel on Monday said it has launched 14 next-gen company-owned stores in Pune, which will be a one-stop-shop for all its offerings. In a release, the company said the stores will display the entire range of Airtel's offerings, including Xstream, Xsafe, and 5G Plus. The store staff, referred to as 'Airtel Friends', are trained to address and resolve customer queries across the telecom operator's portfolio, including mobile, broadband, and DTH. The new Airtel stores have been opened up in Pashan, Phursungi, Pimple Gurav, Dighi, BT Kawde Road, Dhayri, Sangvi, Keshav Nagar, Chikali, Lohegaon, Bhosari, Wadgaon Sheri, Nigdi, and Katraj Kondwa. "...Maharashtra continues to be a big focus market for us and we will continue to invest in this market," said George Mathen, CEO-Maharashtra, Bharti Airtel. The 14 new stores add to the existing count of 29 stores in the city.

Airtel prepays Rs 8,325 cr to clear 2015 spectrum acquisition liabilities

Bharti Airtel has prepaid Rs 8,325 crore to the Department of Telecom towards part prepayment of the deferred liabilities pertaining to spectrum acquired in the 2015 auction, the company said on Tuesday. Bharti Airtel won spectrum worth Rs 29,129.08 crore in the auctions that were held in March 2015. The company had paid Rs 11,374.7 crore, while the upfront amount due was Rs 7,832.20 crore. "Bharti Airtel has prepaid Rs 8,325 crores to the Department of Telecom (Government of India) towards part prepayment of the deferred liabilities pertaining to spectrum acquired in the auction of the year 2015, which were at an interest cost of 10 per cent," the company said in a statement.

Airtel gets notice from DoT for violation of subscriber verification norms

Bharti Airtel on Monday said it has received a notice from the telecom department for an alleged violation of subscriber verification norms, entailing a penalty of Rs 3.57 lakh. In a BSE filing, the telecom operator informed that the notice pertains to Bihar LSA and was received on January 8, 2024. "We submit the details of notice received by the company from the Department of Telecommunications," Airtel said, informing about the "notice imposing a penalty of Rs 3,57,000 for alleged violation of subscriber verification norms". Citing details, the company said it pertained to an alleged violation of terms and conditions with respect to subscriber verification norms under the Licence Agreement, pursuant to a sample customer application form (CAF) audit conducted by the Department of Telecom for September 2023.

Airtel loses 1.2 million users, Jio gains 1.84 million in October: Trai

Trai data suggests that Airtel's market share was flat at 32.85 per cent in October and Jio's share rose to 39.30 per cent

Airtel Africa CEO Ogunsanya to retire, Sunil Taldar named successor

Airtel Africa on Tuesday announced the retirement of Chief Executive Officer Olusegun 'Segun' Ogunsanya, with effect from July 1, 2024, and named Sunil Taldar as his successor. Taldar, who joined Airtel Africa in October 2023 as Director Transformation, will begin the transition to the CEO role, working alongside Ogunsanya. After the transition period, Taldar will be appointed to the board as an executive director and assume the role of CEO on July 1, 2024, when Ogunsanya will step down from the board and retire from the company, Airtel Africa said in a release. "Airtel Africa plc today announced the retirement of the Chief Executive Officer, Olusegun Segun Ogunsanya, with effect from 1 July, 2024," the release said. Ogunsanya, who joined Airtel in 2012, ran the Nigeria operations of the telecommunications and mobile money company for nine years before being appointed as CEO of the group in 2021. "With local knowledge of the African landscape and deep distribution experience he l

Bharti Airtel Services set to acquire 97.1% stake in Beetel Teletech

Bharti Airtel Services, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bharti Airtel, has entered into an agreement for the acquisition of 49.45 lakh shares or 97.1 per cent stake in Beetel Teletech, another Bharti Group company, according to a filing. Pegging the cost of acquisition at Rs 669 crore, the filing said this acquisition is a part of the company's strategy to enable indigenisation initiatives within its own ecosystem of telecom products in line with the Government's policy of Make In India' and add distribution and service capabilities (including system integration) largely for the enterprise business. "...as a part of group restructuring, Bharti Airtel Services Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary company of Bharti Airtel Limited has entered into an agreement for acquisition of 49,45,239 equity shares representing 97.1 per cent stake in another Bharti Group company, Beetel Teletech Limited, which also has 49 per cent stake in Joint Venture having two manufacturing facilities which produce .

Airtel to seek reversal of Rs 24.9 lakh penalty order received under CGST

Bharti Airtel on Tuesday said it does not agree with an order it received under the Central Goods and Services Tax Act for levy of Rs 24.94 lakh penalty, and will take suitable action for rectification or reversal. The violation pertains to alleged irregular input tax credit claim from 2017-18 to 2021-22 and other related matters, Airtel said in a BSE filing. Submitting details of the orders received by the company under the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, Airtel said the order was received on December 24. The order entails a levy of a penalty of Rs 24,94,316, it said, adding, "the company does not agree with the order and will take appropriate action for rectification/reversal of the same." "The maximum financial impact is to the extent of the penalty levied," it said.