Vodafone Idea, one of the largest telecom operators in India, has rebranded to ‘Vi’ as it looks to better leverage the unified venture between British telecom giant Vodafone Group’s India business and billionaire Kumar Mangalam Birla’s Idea Cellular two years after they merged in the country.
“As the integration of two businesses is now complete, it’s time for a fresh start. That’s why we believe that now is the perfect time to launch Vi, one company which provides the strength of Vodafone India and Idea,” Vodafone Group CEO Nick Read said at a virtual conference on Monday.
Vodafone Idea, once the largest telecom operator in the country with over 400 million subscribers, has lost more than 100 million subscribers in recent years to new comer India’s richest man Mukesh Ambani’s telecom venture Jio Platforms as it scaled to the top with its cut-rate mobile data tariff.
“India is the second largest telecom market and the largest data consumer, globally. With 1.2 billion Indians accessing voice and data services at the world’s lowest tariffs across 500,000 villages, the ubiquitous wireless network in India is unmatched for its reach and impact in people’s lives.. With our new brand — Vi, we stand committed to partner with government to accelerate India’s progression towards a digital economy, enabling millions of citizens to connect to the digital revolution and build a better tomorrow,” said Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman of Aditya Birla Group and Vodafone Idea, at the press conference.
Vodafone Idea — or Vi, has yet to turn a profit since it joined forces. The company said it will continue to invest in 4G wireless technology, which already reaches more than 1 billion people in India, double the coverage at the time of merger announcement.
Last week, the company received approval from shareholders to sell stake worth $3.4 billion by selling shares and raising debt.
