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Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
India's telecom space urgently needs a new story
India registered its most significant surge in new mobile connections during the financial year 2010-2011 (April 1, 2010, to March 31, 2011). During this period, the country's telecom sector added a remarkable 227.3 million new wireless subscribers. As I read through the latest numbers, this is the landscape I was contextualising against — India closed April 2025 with 1.2 billion wireless subscribers, the new definition of this now including mobile connections as well as 5G fixed wireless access, or FWA). That's up from 1,163.76 million a month prior. Compare that with 1,170.53 million wireless subscribers in March 2024, and we actually register an annual decline of 6.77 million subscribers. These are undoubtedly big numbers, and creditable to have reached this platform. But are we positioning ourselves to plateau, or finding the next growth story? There is no political or ideological angle to this thought but is purely a story of India's changing consumption patterns. It may be prudent for telecom companies and regulators to take cognisance. For a majority of India's user base, they have a primary SIM, even a secondary SIM, and perhaps even a third data connection for a tablet. They will, in all likelihood, not add a fourth connection to their kitty in the foreseeable future. The prepaid and postpaid price hikes in the summer of last year may have acted as inadvertent thrust reversers to something that was already slowing down. The top 3 mobile service providers control over 92% of the wireless market — Reliance Jio with 476.58 million users (50.53% market share), Bharti Airtel with 289.31 million (30.68%) and a fast-declining Vodafone Idea with 125.63 million users (13.32%). The latest TRAI data, released a day ago, gives me three main themes. There is rural momentum, and that's where the next growth phase will be based. The 5G FWA is gaining traction, and now it is up to the likes of Airtel and Jio to position it as a value proposition. There is also geographical concentration which must be evened out, alongside a trend of saturation, if growth must pick up again. Rural areas are outpacing urban growth (0.37% vs 0.16%), suggesting successful digital inclusion efforts. More to that point, a broader trend of 'Circle C' is clear — the strongest wireless growth of 0.43%, compared with the comparatively more technologically savvy users in Circle A (0.29%) and Circle B (0.16%). In case you're wondering what comprises Circle C, those are regions of the country that are comparatively less urbanised and perhaps have lesser purchasing power (that is subjective) — Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand, Odisha and Jammu & Kashmir. More to that point, the geographical disparities. Extreme variations in tele-density (for example, Delhi at 276.75% vs Bihar at 57.37%) highlight what is potentially a digital divide challenge. Tariff hikes will not be useful in reducing this chasm, and which makes us ask a simple question — do telecom operators wish to increase ARPU (average revenue per user) from users in the already tele-density leading states (Delhi 276.75%, Himachal Pradesh 120.68% and Kerala 119.75%), or keep prices lower to spread growth across? Less users spending more, or more users perhaps spending less, to achieve the same result on the balance sheet? Speaking of balance sheets. With 10.79% monthly growth, 5G FWA is emerging as a significant broadband alternative, particularly important given the overall broadband subscriber decline. Total wireless (5G FWA) subscribers increased from 6.77 million at the end of March 2025 to 7.50 million at the end of April 2025 — TRAI points to subscriptions in urban and rural areas at 4.72 million and 2.77 million, respectively. This has to be put in perspective with another important data trend — a decline in broadband subscribers, to the tune of 1.03 million. Airtel with the Xstream AirFiber and Reliance with the Jio AirFiber, have products in this space. But I have always believed neither has done enough to build a unique positioning for their fixed wireless products. For both companies, the 5G FWA seems more of a convenient alternative to push consumers looking for a broadband connection in areas where a wireline isn't feasible or cost effective. The parity in pricing for the most part with wired broadband lends credence to that perspective. Something has to change if FWA must become a driver for growth. And going by the numbers, India's telecom space needs all the sparks they can find. It will be a shame if a multi-decade success story till 2025 is left to plateau, not for the want of a market, but lack of innovation or thought. Vishal Mathur is the technology editor for HT. Tech Tonic is a weekly column that looks at the impact of personal technology on the way we live, and vice-versa. The views expressed are personal. Get 360° coverage—from daily headlines to 100 year archives.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Bharti Airtel Share Price Live Updates: Bharti Airtel's Volatility Insights
Welcome to the Bharti Airtel Stock Liveblog, your go-to platform for real-time updates and analysis on a top-performing stock. Stay ahead of the market with our in-depth coverage of Bharti Airtel, including: Last traded price 1863.6, Market capitalization: 1135751.08, Volume: 5786774, Price-to-earnings ratio 33.85, Earnings per share 55.06. Get a complete picture of Bharti Airtel's performance through our comprehensive blend of fundamental and technical indicators. Stay informed about breaking news that can influence the stock's trajectory. Our liveblog equips you with the knowledge and insights needed to make confident investment decisions. Don't miss out on the latest updates as Bharti Airtel continues to make waves in the market. The data points are updated as on 08:40:31 AM IST, 30 May 2025 Show more Show less
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Market surge leads to Rs 50,000 crore worth stake sales by promoters and shareholders
While policy announcements from the US remain unpredictable, the momentum in open-market transactions looks likely to continue, he said. Shareholders are selling company stakes. This follows a stock market recovery. Over ₹50,000 crore in shares have been sold this month. Deals involve companies like ITC, Bharti Airtel and IndiGo. Experts believe this trend will continue. Positive market sentiment and easing global concerns are driving the sales. Several companies are planning to raise funds soon. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Mumbai: The stock market rebound in the past few months has prompted dominant shareholders and promoters of companies to trim their far this month, they have sold shares worth over ₹50,000 crore through bulk and block deals on the bourses after a lull, continuing from where they left off before October, when the stock market was in the midst of a bull to exchange data, prominent shareholders and promoters divested stakes in ITC InterGlobe Aviation (IndiGo), PNB Housing and One 97 Communications (Paytm) this month, along with Kfin Technologies , KPR Mill and PG Electroplast. The divestments ranged from ₹1,133 crore to ₹12,941 crore since May 1."A significant amount of domestic liquidity had been waiting on the sidelines for market stability," said Ajay Saraf, ED and head of investment banking at ICICI Securities. "With foreign funds turning positive on India's secondary market and key overhangs like geopolitical tensions and tariff concerns easing, the deal market has roared back to life."This momentum is expected to continue as long as the current positive sentiment holds and no major crisis disrupts the environment, said the largest deals, British American Tobacco sold 2.5% of its stake in ITC , worth ₹12,941 crore while Singtel affiliate Pastel Ltd sold Bharti Airtel shares worth ₹12,880 crore. BAT is the largest shareholder in ITC, while Singtel is part of the promoter group of Bharti. InterGlobe Aviation promoter Rakesh Gangwal and his family trust sold a 5.72% stake for about ₹11,564 equity firm Carlyle's subsidiary, Quality Investment Holdings, offloaded its entire stake of 10.4% in PNB Housing Finance worth ₹2,713 crore. Ant Financial, the fintech subsidiary of Alibaba Group, sold shares of One 97 Communications worth ₹2,104 crore through open-market Technologies promoter General Atlantic Singapore Fund Pte sold shares worth ₹1,790 crore."The resurgence in Indian equity capital market deals is being driven by a confluence of positive factors - stabilising geopolitical tensions, easing trade uncertainties, encouraging full-year corporate earnings, improving high-frequency macro indicators, renewed FII interest, and sustained retail inflows into domestic mutual funds," said Ranvir Davda, co-head of investment banking at HSBC India. "We believe that IPOs, blocks, and follow-on activity in the second half of calendar year 2025 will be significantly higher compared to the first half, with multiple companies having already received Sebi approval and several other listed companies having announced plans for fund-raising."The selling in the secondary market was not limited to large caps and extended to small and midcap companies such as PG Electroplast and KPR Mill, in which promoters reduced stakes by selling shares worth ₹1,132 crore and ₹1,232 crore, respectively. So far in May, the Nifty 50 has gained 2.05% while the Nifty Midcap 150 has risen 6.5% and the Smallcap 250 has advanced 9.2%."FY24 saw an all-time high in promoter exits, which was also on the back of a bullish market," said Pranav Haldea, MD, Prime Database Group. "While promoter buying is always a good sign, reasons for exit can vary and range from cashing out due to good valuation, setting up other businesses, debt reduction and personal reasons."While policy announcements from the US remain unpredictable, the momentum in open-market transactions looks likely to continue, he said.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
D-St Bull Run Fires up Blockbuster Deals of Promoters, Shareholders
The stock market rebound in the past few months has prompted dominant shareholders and promoters of companies to trim their stakes. So far this month, they have sold shares worth over ₹50,000 crore through bulk and block deals on the bourses after a lull, continuing from where they left off before October, when the stock market was in the midst of a bull run. According to exchange data, prominent shareholders and promoters divested stakes in ITC, Bharti Airtel, InterGlobe Aviation (IndiGo), PNB Housing and One 97 Communications (Paytm) this month, along with Kfin Technologies, KPR Mill and PG Electroplast. The divestments ranged from ₹1,133 crore to ₹12,941 crore since May 1. 'A significant amount of domestic liquidity had been waiting on the sidelines for market stability,' said Ajay Saraf, ED and head of investment banking at ICICI Securities. 'With foreign funds turning positive on India's secondary market and key overhangs like geopolitical tensions and tariff concerns easing, the deal market has roared back to life.' This momentum is expected to continue as long as the current positive sentiment holds and no major crisis disrupts the environment, said Saraf. Among the largest deals, British American Tobacco sold 2.5% of its stake in ITC, worth ₹12,941 crore while Singtel affiliate Pastel Ltd sold Bharti Airtel shares worth ₹12,880 crore. BAT is the largest shareholder in ITC, while Singtel is part of the promoter group of Bharti. InterGlobe Aviation promoter Rakesh Gangwal and his family trust sold a 5.72% stake for about ₹11,564 crore. Private equity firm Carlyle's subsidiary, Quality Investment Holdings, offloaded its entire stake of 10.4% in PNB Housing Finance worth ₹2,713 crore. Ant Financial, the fintech subsidiary of Alibaba Group, sold shares of One 97 Communications worth ₹2,104 crore through open-market transactions. Kfin Technologies promoter General Atlantic Singapore Fund Pte sold shares worth ₹1,790 crore. 'The resurgence in Indian equity capital market deals is being driven by a confluence of positive factors — stabilising geopolitical tensions, easing trade uncertainties, encouraging full-year corporate earnings, improving high-frequency macro indicators, renewed FII interest, and sustained retail inflows into domestic mutual funds,' said Ranvir Davda, co-head of investment banking at HSBC India. 'We believe that IPOs, blocks, and follow-on activity in the second half of calendar year 2025 will be significantly higher compared to the first half, with multiple companies having already received Sebi approval and several other listed companies having announced plans for fund-raising.' The selling in the secondary market was not limited to large caps and extended to small and midcap companies such as PG Electroplast and KPR Mill, in which promoters reduced stakes by selling shares worth ₹1,132 crore and ₹1,232 crore, respectively. So far in May, the Nifty 50 has gained 2.05% while the Nifty Midcap 150 has risen 6.5% and the Smallcap 250 has advanced 9.2%. 'FY24 saw an all-time high in promoter exits, which was also on the back of a bullish market,' said Pranav Haldea, MD, Prime Database Group. 'While promoter buying is always a good sign, reasons for exit can vary and range from cashing out due to good valuation, setting up other businesses, debt reduction and personal reasons.' While policy announcements from the US remain unpredictable, the momentum in open-market transactions looks likely to continue, he said.
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Business Standard
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Finance Ministry cold to Bharti Airtel plea on dues-to-equity switch
If Airtel's request is accepted, the government would have 2 to 4 per cent equity in the telco Premium Asit Ranjan Mishra New Delhi Listen to This Article The Union finance ministry is not keen on considering Bharti Airtel's request for converting its ₹41,000 crore adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues into government equity, it is learnt. 'They (Airtel) had approached us. But we told them to follow the legal process on their AGR dues. In the case of Vodafone, the spectrum payment dues were converted into equity,' a senior government official told Business Standard. If Airtel's request is accepted, the government would have 2 to 4 per cent equity in the telco. Email queries sent to the finance ministry and Airtel remained unanswered till the time
