How Reliance Jio Plans to Attack Airtel, Vodafone,Idea ?

Data clearly suggests that top 30% customers account for ~70% of revenues in the India Wireless Industry. In this backdrop we plan to analyze new entrant Reliance Jio Infocomm’s positioning and onslaught on Airtel, Vodafone and Idea to gain high end Wireless Customers as well as snatch away Data customers from Reliance Communications’ NetConnect and Tata DoCoMo Photon Mobile Broadband Consumers.

4G LTE Handset The SmartPhone handset changing cycle is less than 24 months for high end customers. Customer should shift handset (to LTE) is (more…)

How Reliance Jio Built the 2nd Largest Telecom Network ?

Reliance Jio Infocomm’s installation of ~70,000 LTE sites for the launch network is mostly completed. With the recently-acquired spectrum, the company has a decent mix of 1800/800 MHz spectrum for voice coverage (with 2300MHz for data capacity). In addition to 2300MHz and 1800MHz, RJio acquired 800MHz spectrum in nine circles in the Mar-15 auctions, most of which can be used for LTE (CA). Thus, including RJio’s last year’s bidding, RJio now has either 1800MHz or 800MHz spectrum in 20 circles, which account for 92% of industry revenues (more…)

Airtel Unveils – “Win Customers for Life” Strategy

At Analysts Conference, Bharti Airtel Management shared Color on its new Strategy – Win Customers for Life. This is developed on its underlying five-pronged strategy: 1) better go-to-market excellence; 2) voice pricing – no need to undercut; 3) data pricing in such a way that data ARPU grows; 4) focus on data and digital services (m-commerce); and 5) war on waste, i.e manage costs better. Subscriber growth has accelerated in the past one year, which is ahead of competition vs. previous years. However, ARPU increase will be led by subs taking 3G and 4G.

Airtel believes networks will be a key differentiator, especially on data. The (more…)

What are Telecom Operators Strategies for “Mobile Data” ?

We believe the incumbents lobby led by Airtel, Vodafone and Idea are banking on 3G to lead data growth in India over the next five years. They have 2100MHz (3G spectrum) spectrum in their market leadership service areas, enabling them to participate in data growth in their dominant service areas. Over the next 12-18 months, we believe Airtel, Vodafone and Idea are likely to have pan-Indian 3G spectrum, as they are likely to acquire additional 2100MHz spectrum when the government auctions it later in the year.

Also, we think market leaders are likely to deploy their recently renewed 900MHz (liberalised spectrum) for 3G services over the next 3-5 years (more…)