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  • Singtel Unlocks SGD 1.5B in Airtel Stake Sale: A Strategic Move Towards Portfolio Optimization

    Singtel Unlocks SGD 1.5B in Airtel Stake Sale: A Strategic Move Towards Portfolio Optimization

    Singapore Telecommunications Limited (Singtel) has divested approximately 0.8% of their direct investment in their regional associate, Airtel. The sale generated SGD 1.5 billion, marking an important step in Singtel’s ongoing plan to streamline operations via asset recycling. The transaction was conducted through a private placement to institutional investors, a move that demonstrates significant market demand and confidence in Airtel. It is anticipated that the sale will yield profits of around SGD 1.1 billion.

    Singtel’s Strategy and Outcome

    The Group Chief Financial Officer of Singtel, Mr. Arthur Lang, shed some light on the company’s strategy. He explained that Singtel has been collaborating closely with Bharti Enterprises to gradually balance their effective stake in Airtel. He further affirmed that the transactions have allowed them to unlock value while retaining a significant stake in Airtel. This approach enables them to continue to invest in India’s rapidly growing digital economy.

    Mr. Lang spoke of the success of the capital management program, which he said has already amassed SGD 5.6 billion. This is over half of their recently adjusted mid-term asset recycling target of SGD 9 billion. He explained that this financial strategy affords Singtel the flexibility to bolster its balance sheet, fund growth opportunities in digital infrastructure and services, and ensure sustainable dividend growth.

    Progress and Future Plans

    As of May 2025, Singtel had already exceeded half of its original SGD 6 billion mid-term asset recycling target, which had been declared a year prior. Following this achievement, the target was revised to SGD 9 billion. The raised capital will be directed towards supporting growth and providing capital returns via its value realization dividend and share buyback program.

    In the wake of this recent transaction, Singtel is set to retain a 27.5% stake in Airtel. The retained stake is estimated to be worth approximately SGD 51 billion.

    Questions & Answers

    What is Singtel’s ongoing strategy?
    Singtel is optimizing its portfolio through asset recycling, which includes selling some of its stakes in associates and investing the proceeds in new growth opportunities.

    What is expected to be the outcome of Singtel’s recent divestment from Airtel?
    The sale is expected to yield profits of around SGD 1.1 billion, contributing to their mid-term asset recycling target of SGD 9 billion.

    What is the future of Singtel’s investment in Airtel?
    Following the recent transaction, Singtel will retain a significant 27.5% stake in Airtel, demonstrating its continued commitment to invest in India’s digital economy.

  • Bharti Airtel Launches Exciting ‘Airtel Cloud’ in Collaboration with Singtel, Globe, and Airtel Africa

    Bharti Airtel Launches Exciting ‘Airtel Cloud’ in Collaboration with Singtel, Globe, and Airtel Africa

    Bharti Airtel has unveiled an innovative AI-powered cloud and software platform for enterprises, launching it through its wholly owned subsidiary, Xtelify. The platform, named ‘Airtel Cloud,’ is poised to accelerate digital transformation for Indian businesses and global telecom operators, delivering robust security, scalability, and intelligence on a large scale. In a marketplace where digital prowess is the new currency, Airtel has positioned itself as a formidable player.

    Transforming Airtel’s Offerings for the Global Market

    Xtelify represents a pivotal shift for Airtel, as the company expands its in-house digital platforms—which have previously supported its large-scale operations—into external markets. The Airtel Cloud platform is accessible to enterprises throughout India, capable of processing a staggering 140 crore transactions per minute. Backed by a team of 300 certified cloud experts, the platform is housed in next-generation sustainable data centers and utilizes generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) for provisioning. Its services include infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS), platform-as-a-service (PaaS), and advanced connectivity, with secure migration and zero vendor lock-in being standout features.

    A Vision for Secure Digital Growth

    Gopal Vittal, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Bharti Airtel, expressed enthusiasm for this development, stating, “Within Airtel, we have been actively harnessing digital innovations at unmatched scale to transform our services and enhance customer experience for many years. This involves powering over 590 million customer touchpoints and addressing some of the most intricate telecom challenges globally. All our applications run at a competitive cost on Airtel Cloud. Today, we’re excited to extend our telco-grade, sovereign-cloud platform, enabling Indian businesses to innovate faster, scale smarter, and remain secure in an ever-evolving digital landscape.” Vittal assured that all cloud controls will remain strictly within India, eliminating any risk of external access to sensitive data.

    Empowering Telecom Operations with AI

    Xtelify has also launched an AI-driven software suite designed to optimize telecom operations and enhance customer journeys, ultimately improving average revenue per user (ARPU). This comprehensive suite includes Xtelify Work for real-time workforce management, Xtelify Data Engine for operational intelligence, Xtelify IQ for customer experience analytics, and Xtelify Serve for personalized engagement and resolution. It’s as if the future of telecom is knocking on the door, demanding an innovative response.

    International Collaborations Amplify Global Reach

    In a noteworthy international initiative, Xtelify has formed partnerships with Singtel, Globe Telecom, and Airtel Africa. These agreements are set to implement various aspects of Xtelify’s offerings across multiple operations. Singtel will harness Xtelify Work for increased frontline efficiency, Globe Telecom plans to utilize Xtelify Serve to enhance customer service, and Airtel Africa will incorporate Xtelify Data Engine, Work, and IQ into its operations.

    Ng Tian Chong, CEO of Singtel Singapore, articulated the platform’s benefits, stating, “We are constantly seeking ways to better equip our field engineers to provide exceptional customer experiences. This platform allows us to reimagine our workflows with AI at the core, leading to improved efficiency and customer service.” The emphasis on optimizing dispatch and resource management not only expedites engineer response times but also contributes to lowering the carbon footprint—a win-win in today’s eco-conscious world.

    Jacques Barkhuizen, Group CIO of Airtel Africa, noted the transformative potential of this partnership, highlighting how it will enhance digital progress and uplift millions across Africa. Globe Telecom’s president and CEO, Carl Cruz, echoed this sentiment, explaining that integrating Xtelify’s AI-driven Case Management Platform reinforces their commitment to exceptional service from the initial customer contact to resolution. “We are proud to collaborate with Airtel and Xtelify,” Cruz added, “as we aim to elevate global customer experience standards.”

    Questions & Answers

    What is Airtel Cloud and what does it offer to enterprises?
    Airtel Cloud is an AI-powered cloud and software platform designed to facilitate digital transformation for Indian businesses and global telecom operators. It provides infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS), platform-as-a-service (PaaS), and advanced connectivity while ensuring secure migration and zero vendor lock-in.

    How does Xtelify enhance telecom operations?
    Xtelify’s AI-driven suite optimizes telecom operations by improving workforce management, operational intelligence, customer experience analytics, and personalized engagement, ultimately boosting average revenue per user (ARPU).

    What international partnerships has Xtelify established?
    Xtelify has formed significant partnerships with Singtel, Globe Telecom, and Airtel Africa, enabling various implementations of Xtelify’s offerings to enhance operational efficiency and customer service across these companies.

  • Airtel Brings 5G to Mumbai’s New Metro Line

    Airtel Brings 5G to Mumbai’s New Metro Line

    This underground infrastructure aims to enhance connectivity in the financial capital, linking the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) to Aarey and covering the vital Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR) section.

    Mumbai’s highly anticipated Aqua Line—the city’s first underground metro system—is set to transform urban transportation and mark a new era of efficient, high-tech travel in the bustling metropolis.

    Aditya Kankaria, CEO of Bharti Airtel in Mumbai, emphasized that the company’s strategic investments in enhancing and strengthening network infrastructure along the Aqua Line reflect their dedication to ensuring customers enjoy seamless, high-speed mobile connectivity while using the city’s public transit system.

    “This commitment is further underscored by our eagerness to support Mumbai’s first-ever underground metro line, ensuring that customers can enjoy reliable, blazing-fast internet connectivity as an integral part of their daily commute. As Mumbai embraces this new era of efficient, technologically-advanced public transportation, Airtel stands ready to elevate the commuting experience with high-speed 5G connectivity,”  Kankaria added.

    Stretching 33.5 kilometers, this advanced metro line will connect major transit points, including the renowned Terminal 2 (T2) airport and the lively Santacruz neighborhood.

    Throughout the entire route, Airtel has significantly upgraded its 5G infrastructure, allowing passengers to access high-speed mobile internet, clear voice calls, and seamless data transmission during their travels.

    Each of the ten underground stations is equipped with dedicated in-building solutions to ensure reliable, high-quality connectivity, enhancing the overall commuting experience.

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  • Airtel Collaborates with Kia India to Boost Kia Connect 2.0

    Airtel Collaborates with Kia India to Boost Kia Connect 2.0

    As part of the collaboration, Kia will leverage Airtel Business’ IoT Hub, which provides tailored IoT solutions across multiple networks, including 5G, 4G, NB-IoT, 2G, and satellite.

    The IoT Hub is equipped with advanced analytics capabilities and real-time data insights sourced from connected devices.

    The Kia Connect 2.0 platform aims to equip Kia vehicles with advanced connected features, including vehicle management, AI-powered voice commands, and remote control capabilities. It also boasts safety, security, and navigation functions.

    Hardeep Singh Brar, Senior Vice President and Head of Sales and Marketing at Kia India, indicated that the automaker plans to introduce over-the-air (OTA) diagnostics as part of the transition to the Kia Connect 2.0 platform.

    He mentioned that this initiative is expected to unlock new possibilities for software-defined vehicles, with IoT technology becoming a fundamental aspect of Kia’s offerings.

    Airtel Business highlighted that its IoT platform offers comprehensive support for connected vehicle features, including connectivity, telematics, and infotainment. It also enables functionalities such as eSIMs, real-time remote monitoring, over-the-air (OTA) firmware updates, and safety features like SOS emergency calling and real-time connectivity during accidents or emergencies.

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  • Airtel Launches ‘Always On’ IoT Connectivity Solution

    Airtel Launches ‘Always On’ IoT Connectivity Solution

    Bharti Airtel has announced the launch of the “Always On” IoT connectivity solution in India. Airtel’s “Always On” solution comprises the dual-profile M2M eSim which allows an IOT device to always stay connected to a mobile network from different Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) in the eSIM.

    The Airtel “Always On” solution complies with the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI)’s AIS-140 standard, implemented by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). It specifies mandatory requirements related to connectivity and GPS tracking capabilities for devices in all passenger-carrying buses, private fleets and other public transport vehicles for tracking, safety and security purposes.

    As per law, all registered buses and taxis are mandated to install this device. The government of India recently made it mandatory for vehicles carrying hazardous goods to also have a tracker installed that complies with AIS-140 standards. In addition to these, there are emergency vehicles such as ambulances; vehicles from the mining and construction industries working in remote locations; and other mission-critical and intelligent communication use cases that need higher availability and reliability of the network.

    With its future-ready, GSMA-compliant platform; flexible API-based eSim lifecycle management on the feature-rich Airtel IoT Hub; and full compliance with Department of Telecom (DoT) M2M guidelines, Airtel is looking to acquire market leadership in this segment in the next few years.

    Speaking about the launch of the “Always On” AIS-140 connectivity solution, Ajay Chitkara, director and CEO of Airtel Business, said, “We are delighted to bring ‘Always On’ connectivity solution to our customers. We believe this is the next big opportunity in the IoT segment. Our strengths in the network, a modern and GSMA compliant platform offering real-time access to data and flexibility to integrate the solution with custom APIs will make Airtel Business stand out in the market.”

    The AIS140 solution has already been tested and adopted by some of the leading companies in the industry, like Lumax ITuran, Loconav and e-Trans. Lumax ITuran Telematics is a renowned name in advanced telematics technology and offers telematics products and services to the Indian automotive industry. LocoNav is the world’s fastest-growing fleet-tech company, with over 5 million vehicles on the road in over 50 countries. While e-Tra

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  • Airtel Debuts India’s First Virtual Reality Ads Powered by 5G

    Airtel Debuts India’s First Virtual Reality Ads Powered by 5G

    Airtel unveiled India’s first immersive Virtual Reality (VR) advertisement powered by 5G. The advertisement format on the Airtel Thanks app opens new avenues for brands to engage with consumers in an immersive environment that was previously not possible in the traditional advertising paradigm.

    The ultra-fast, low-latency 5G network ensures the 3D visuals and videos are life-like. Through this ad format, brands can offer their customers an immersive ad that is free of any lag, making it highly engaging. Airtel has roped in some of India’s leading brands such as PepsiCo and SonyLIV to create a pilot and demo the capabilities of this product at the Indian Mobile Congress.

    Today, the Indian advertising industry is in a flux, with more than 750 million mobile users increasingly spending more time on their mobile screens – an average of about 5 hours daily, according to an App Annie report. With reducing attention spans, brands are increasingly looking towards innovative mobile-first ad formats to connect with this next-generation audience, capture their attention and build awareness.

    Commenting on this, Adarsh Nair, CEO of Airtel Digital, said, “The biggest benefit of 5G is that it allows us to do more with low-latency. We are leveraging this technology to create India’s first ever immersive VR advertisement that offers brands a direct connect to consumers in a mobile-first environment. Brands can leverage this to create engaging, immersive and personalized experiences for their customers.”

  • Airtel Pays 5G Spectrum Dues Upfront to Prep for 5G Roll Out

    Airtel Pays 5G Spectrum Dues Upfront to Prep for 5G Roll Out

    Airtel has paid Rs 8,312.4 crores to the Department of Telecom (Government of India) toward dues for spectrum acquired in the recently concluded 5G auctions.

    Airtel has paid four years of 2022 spectrum dues upfront. Airtel believes that this upfront payment, coupled with the moratorium on spectrum dues and AGR-related payments for four years, will free up future cash flows and allow Airtel to dedicate resources to concentrate on the 5G rollout single-mindedly.

    Over the last year, Airtel has also cleared Rs 24,333.7 crores of its deferred spectrum liabilities much ahead of scheduled maturities.

    Speaking about the pre-payment of dues Gopal Vittal, managing director and CEO of Bharti Airtel, said, “This upfront payment of 4 years allows us to drive 5G rollout in a concerted manner given our operating free cash flow. Airtel also has access to Rs 15,740.5 Cr in capital from the rights issue which is yet to be called. With the ideal spectrum bank, best technology and adequate free cash flow, we are excited to bring to the country a world-class 5G experience.”

    This month, Airtel announced that it has signed 5G network agreements with Ericsson, Nokia and Samsung to commence 5G deployment. The choice of multiple partners was said to enable Airtel to roll out 5G services spanning ultra-high-speeds, low latency and large data handling capabilities, which will enable a superior user experience and allow the pursuit of new, innovative use cases with enterprise and industry customers.

  • Airtel and Telecom Egypt partner on global submarine cable systems

    The partnership grants Airtel the right to use fiber pairs of MENA Cable from Egypt to India with access to Saudi Arabia and Oman, and other fiber pairs from Egypt towards Italy. It also extends beyond MENA Cable, where Airtel will get the right to use a fiber pair from Egypt to France on TE North along with capacities on SMW5 and AAE1 cable systems.

    With this, Airtel will be able to further diversify its global network to serve the massive growth in demand for data services, particularly in emerging markets across South Asia, Africa and Middle East, while also benefitting from the favorable economics of Telecom Egypt’s existing wide cable systems network.

    Commenting on the partnership, Ajay Chitkara, Director and CEO, Airtel Business, said, “The partnership with Telecom Egypt underlines our commitment to provide world-class service experience to our customers. The partnership including MENA Cable and TE’s network will be a good addition to our global network portfolio and will provide us with a high quality and diversified new route to Western Europe and the rest of the world. With the explosion of data usage in emerging markets, including India and Africa, this asset will provide us a scalable and diverse high capacity highway to serve our customers. In particular, it will provide impetus to India’s emergence as a major regional internet hub serving customers across SAARC region, with seamless global connectivity.”

    Ahmed El Beheiry, Chief Executive Officer of Telecom Egypt, added: “Telecom Egypt’s global network was built over the years through investments in consortiums as well as private international submarine cable systems. Our reach and position as an international hub with tens of Tbps lit capacity, makes us the partner of choice for Euro-Asian and Euro-African transit traffic. Telecom Egypt signed the agreement with OTMT to acquire MENA Cable with the aim of capitalizing on the growing traffic from India and Saudi Arabia to Europe and to obtain a new gateway to Europe through Italy. We are pleased to be able to sign the MoU with Airtel as well as to be able to bundle MENA’s assets with existing assets of the TE network. We aim to come back to the market with more details on the MoU and its financial impact once the deal is closed.”

    Egypt’s distinctive geographic location on the Red and Mediterranean seas has enabled Telecom Egypt to connect more than 11 cable systems from the East and 13 from the West linked with the Red-Med Corridor consisting of 7 diversified routes across Egypt. Telecom Egypt’s global network was built over the years through investments in international submarine cable systems, namely: TE North, ALETAR, SEA-ME-WE-3, SEA-ME-WE-4, SEA-ME-WE-5, IMEWE, EIG, and AAE-1.

    Airtel’s global network portfolio includes ownership of i2i submarine cable system connecting Chennai to Singapore, consortium ownership of SMW4 submarine cable system connecting Chennai and Mumbai to Singapore and Europe, and new cable system investments like Asia America Gateway (AAG), India Middle East & Western Europe (IMEWE), Unity, EIG (Europe India Gateway) and East Africa Submarine System (EASSy). It also has terrestrial express connectivity to neighboring countries including Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh and China.

  • Bharti Airtel meets growing data consumption with new independent fiber company

    Bharti Airtel meets growing data consumption with new independent fiber company

    The owner of the telecom company, Sunil Bharti Mittal, announced the appointment of Savargaonkar and acknowledged his new role. Savargaonkar was previously the company’s director of networks, equivalent to chief technology officer, and today, he will continue to report to Gopal Vittal, Bharti Airtel’s CEO.

    “Given the significant growth in data consumption in recent years, we believe a robust and independent infrastructure company that serves the growing need of fiber in the telecom industry is critical,” Vittal announced.

    Bharti Airtel is about to transfer its fiber optic cable network to a wholly-owned subsidiary, Telesonic Networks Ltd, through low sales. The company manages 246,000 km of fiber optics, which is aggressively rising to meet increasing data growth. “Fiber assets from Telesonic may eventually be transferred to this new subsidiary,” a source commented.

    Not surprisingly, Nitin Soni, director, Asian corporates, at Fitch Ratings, found that it was of common sense to have an independent company that owns fiber since Airtel had previously formed a telecom tower joint venture – Indus Towers – with Vodafone India and Idea Cellular.

    “There is no point of duplication on capex spending like tower infrastructure. India is one of those countries where price competitiveness is so high that most telcos are taking the rational decision to make independent companies,” he said.

    But in order to become a true independent company, Airtel would have to well play its cards and sell a majority stake. This way, it will attract other players to use the assets, not so far of what it’s doing with its tower business, Soni said.

    “If you keep having stake, it won’t be regarded as truly independent by competitors like Reliance Jio, and would continue to build its own fiber. Unless assets are leased by Jio, these independent companies can’t grow,” he added.

    Airtel also appointed Randeep Singh Sekhon as the new chief of technology for its India and South Asia operations, replacing Savargaonkar. Sekhon, who will also report to Vittal, has a previous experience in various senior leadership roles with telcos in Malaysia and Indonesia being earlier CEO of Hutchison 3 Indonesia.

    These new appointments were announced following several events that happened in the company such as the exit of Airtel’s chief technology officer for mobile networks, Shyam Mardikar, who is widely speculated to be joining a rival telco and the departure of Airtel’s enterprise business head Ashok Ganapathy replaced by Ajay Chitkara, who now oversees both the domestic and global enterprise operations.

    Forming the new independent fiber company coincides with the preparation for another battle with Reliance Jio on the fiber optic network–the country’s wired broadband market. Airtel and Jio are having an intense price war in the wireless segment.

    It is expected that Jio will offer a mass-market wired-broadband product bundled with Internet-based television programming starting at about Rs 500 a month, almost half the current market rates for similar services.

    According to Soni, Airtel will benefit from the expansion of the market as Jio enters, but there will be pressure on the ARPUs which will decline by 30-50%. “In the short-term, Airtel will face revenue EBITDA declines in the home broadband segment and we are sure that in the medium term, they will benefit from the expansion of the market,” he added.

    According to analysts, Airtel should also consider the competitiveness of the combined Vodafone-Idea Cellular company, which will have a comparatively strong fiber business through the recently acquired YOU Broadband business.

    Homes in 89 cities pan-India benefit from Airtel’s fixed-line telephone and broadband (DSL) services. The number is set to reach to least 100 key cities from 89 now with Airtel planning to set aside a sizeable portion of its Rs 24,000 crore capital expenditure plan for FY19 to expand its broadband network. Another 10 million-plus homes will be covered by FY21, t

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  • Airtel granted partial stay on $1.2b spectrum charge demand

    Airtel granted partial stay on $1.2b spectrum charge demand

    India’s Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) has granted Bharti Airtel and Tata Teleservices on the 83 billion rupees ($1.19 billion) demand from the Department of Telecom as a condition of approving the merger between the two companies.

    The tribunal has directed Indian authorities to clear the merger subject to a stay on around 70 billion rupees in one-time spectrum charges.

    But Bharti Airtel has been asked to submit 50% of around 12.87 billion rupees in one-time spectrum charges related to a license in Chennai.

    The tribunal case is still ongoing, with the next hearing scheduled for July.

    Bharti Airtel arranged to acquire Tata Teleservices’ consumer mobile business in 20 as part of the wave of consolidation that swept the sector after the entry into the market of Reliance Jio Infocomm with an aggressive price promotion.

    The Department of Telecom approved the merger last month, but only on the condition that Airtel submits a bank guarantee covering the department’s spectrum charge demands. Airtel subsequently appealed the demand for this guarantee with the tribunal.

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  • Airtel, Vodafone may sell stakes in merged tower company

    Airtel, Vodafone may sell stakes in merged tower company

    India’s Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Group are reportedly in talks to sell more than half of their respective stakes in the tower company that will be created through the merger of Bharti Infratel and Indus Towers.

    Bharti Infratel is Bharti Airtel’s tower division, while Indus Towers is an independently managed tower company jointly owned by the Bharti Group and Vodafone Idea.

    The combined entity is expected to have a market valuation of $12 billion to $13 billion and have a portfolio of over 160,000 towers.

    According to a report, which cites unnamed sources, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Group are aiming to bring their stakes in the combined company down to around 13% each after the merger.

    The operators are looking to sell part of their stakes primarily to existing investor, global investment firm KKR, the sources said.

    KKR could eventually hold between 25% and 32% of the combined company, with minority stakes held by the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) and some other investors.

    The stake sales could be worth around $3.2 billion for Bharti Airtel and $2.1 billion for Vodafone Group, the report states.

    It also asserts that the Vodafone Group may plan to eventually exit its investment in the company, and that the merger is likely to close in June.

  • Jio raising $3.89b for tower unit spinoff:

    Jio raising $3.89b for tower unit spinoff:

    The fiber network unit Reliance Jio Infocomm is reportedly planning to raise around 270 billion rupees ($3.89 billion) in syndicated loans to help expand the newly created infrastructure business.

    Jio Digital Fiber plans to use the proceeds to expand its business and allow it to serve external customers from the telecom, ISP, power and other sectors.

    Reliance Jio is spinning off its fiber business as well as its tower business into standalone subsidiaries in an attempt to monetize the assets. The tower business is being spun out into Reliance Jio Infratel.

    Reliance Jio received approval for the demerger plan from the National Company Law Tribunal last month.

    Meanwhile Reliance Jio has reportedly also crossed the 300 million subscriber mark after just two and a half years in operation, putting it close to second-placed rival Bharti Airtel, which has around 340.3 million customers.

    According to Indian media, it took Airtel 19 years to pass the 300 million subscriber mark. If Reliance Jio continues its trajectory, it will knock former market leader Airtel into third place. The 2018 merger between Vodafone India and Idea Cellular created the current market leader Vodafone Idea, which has over 400 million customers.

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  • Airtel launches e-book app store

    Airtel launches e-book app store

    India’s Bharti Airtel has expanded its OTT portfolio with the launch of a new app store for e-books.

    The Airtel Books app currently offers over 70,000 e-books from Indian and international authors, including some of the latest launch titles.

    The app will include a subscription service offering access to a curated selection of the e-books, priced at 129 rupees ($1.87) for six months and 199 for 12 months. Customers can also purchase books on a per-item basis.

    Airtel Books will be available to both Airtel and non-Airtel customers via both iOS and Android.

    Airtel is offering all users a complimentary 30 day trial and access to free titles from the Readers Club component of the app. Smartphone customers will also be offered five free books from a selection of over 5,000 paid e-books.

    The new OTT app adds to Airtel’s existing digital content portfolio, which includes offerings including the Wynk Music subscription service and Airtel TV.

    “Airtel Books is another major milestone in our journey towards building a world-class digital content portfolio. E-books is a fast growing segment along with music and video, thanks to large screen smartphones becoming the cornerstone of digital lifestyle,” Airtel CEO for content and apps Sameer Batra said.

    “We are delighted to roll out this initiative and take it to the smartphone users across India through our deep distribution reach.”

  • Airtel contracts Ericsson for VoLTE upgrade

    Airtel contracts Ericsson for VoLTE upgrade

    India’s Bharti Airtel has contracted Ericsson to expand its voice over LTE (VoLTE)services to cater to growing demand.

    Under the agreement, Airtel will deploy Ericsson’s Cloud VoLTE solution, which is used to deliver HD voice enabled VoLTE services onto a customer data center.

    Ericsson Cloud VoLTE includes a virtual IMS and supporting nodes to add VoLTE services onto existing LTE data networks.

    The upgrade forms part of Bharti Airtel’s network transformation program, Project Leap, and is aimed at helping Airtel carve out a larger share of the growing Indian VoLTE market. Ericsson’s latest Mobility Report predicts that there will be 780 million VoLTE subscriptions in India by 2023.

    “We remain committed to building a state-of-the-art future-ready network as part of…Project Leap, and delivering best-in-class digital experiences to our smartphone customers,” Bharti Airtel CTO Randeep Sekhon commented.

    “This partnership with Ericsson will allow us to rapidly increase VoLTE capacity to serve our growing traffic, and make our network prepared to easily introduce new communication services today and in 5G.”

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  • Singtel extends VIA mobile wallet alliance

    Singtel extends VIA mobile wallet alliance

    Singtel has announced a further expansion of its emerging cross-border mobile payment alliance via an arrangement with Singapore Changi Airport.

    Subscribers to Thailand’s AIS will soon be able to use their AIS GLOBAL Pay mobile wallets to make payments across all four Changi Airport terminals in their home currency.

    AIS, one of Singtel’s regional mobile affiliates, is the first international member of the VIA Alliance, which launched in October. Other member mobile wallets to be added later this year include K Plus from Thailand’s Kasikorbank and Axiata Digital’s Boost Malaysia.

    Singtel also recently arranged to allow users of mobile wallets within the VIA Alliance to make payments in Japan through a partnership with Tokyo-based NETSTARS.

    Singtel plans to progressively expand the VIA alliance to include its other regional associates Airtel in India, Globe in the Philippines, Telkomsel in Indonesia, as well as more non-operator entities.

    “With Singapore welcoming over half a million visitors from Thailand every year, we are excited to enhance the retail experience for them with the ease, familiarity and convenience of seamless transactions,” Singtel International VP of business Soon Sze Meng said.

    “Having the many merchants in Changi Airport on board VIA will enable Thai travelers to enjoy a wide range of cashless dining and retail options from the moment they touch down, while these merchants will capture new customers and revenue.”