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Vodafone Idea Gets Rebranded To Vi

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Vodafone Idea Gets Rebranded To Vi

Vodafone Idea is one of India’s largest telecommunications companies along with Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio.  Vodafone Idea has a market share of 23% in India and Reliance Jio leads the market with a share of 34%.  Indian telecom companies have been hurt badly by the Supreme Court verdict on the Adjusted Gross Revenues (AGR) case.  The AGR is a fee sharing mechanism between the telcos and the government who shifted to the ‘revenue-sharing fee’ model in 1999, from the ‘fixed license fee’ model.  In this course, telcos are supposed to share a percentage of their AGR with the government.  

Following the Supreme Court verdict which came against the favour of telcos, the verdict directs the telcos to pay the due payments to the government over a course of ten years.  The total amount due as per the Department of Telecom’s submission to the Supreme Court is Rs. 119,292 crores.  Out of its total dues of Rs. 43,980 crores, Bharti Airtel has paid Rs. 18,004 crores so far while Rs. 25,976 crores are still remaining.  Vodafone Idea’s dues are the highest at Rs. 58,254 crores, of which the company has paid Rs. 6,354 crores and the balance due is Rs. 51,400 crores.

This has hurt both Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea as they have to raise enough capital to pay the dues.  Failure to pay the dues means the telcos are looking at bankruptcy.  According to a report by Jefferies Equity Research, dated September 1st, Vodafone Idea could require up to ₹18,800 crores by the end of March 2023.  To do so, it will need to raise money since its existing operating profit is less than annual payments that will be due.  Vodafone Idea on Friday said it will raise up to ₹ 25,000 crores.  The fundraising will be through the sale of shares or non convertible debentures (NCDs.)  Both routes of fundraising have a limit of ₹ 15,000 crores each. The proposed fundraising is subject to regulatory and shareholders approvals.  Vodafone Idea will take up the proposal at its annual general meeting on 30 September.

Vodafone Idea has therefore announced a rebranding as part of its fundraising efforts and going forward Vodafone Idea will be called Vi.  This is because Idea is now integrated with Vodafone.  Launching the new brand, Ravinder Takkar, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Vodafone Idea Limited, said “the brand integration not only marks the completion of the largest telecom merger in the world but also sets us on our future journey to offer world class digital experiences to one billion indians on our strong 4G network.  VIL is now leaner and agile and the deployment of many principles of 5G architecture has helped us transform into a future-fit, digital network for the changing customer needs (sic.)”

The future of Vi is still uncertain and more updates will be revealed in the following weeks and a new updated tariff plan will also be rolled out.  Vi looks to earn back its customers and get back to being a strong market leader which it once was and only time will tell what is in store for Vi and its customers.

 

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Meta’s Upcoming AR Glasses: A Sneak Peek

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Meta is developing its first true AR glasses, set to launch in 2027. Before the public release, employees will test the device starting in 2024. The company is also releasing new generations of Ray-Ban smart glasses in 2023 and 2025 with enhanced features like a “viewfinder” display.

Specifications and Features

The AR glasses are expected to feature OLED displays and Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets, offering sophisticated AR and AI capabilities. They will enable users to interact with virtual objects and project high-quality holograms of avatars onto the real world.

Design and Competition

Meta aims for a sleek design, potentially building on its Ray-Ban partnerships. The AR glasses market is competitive, with Apple and Google also investing heavily. Meta seeks to make its AR glasses a game-changer by offering a unique user experience.

Future Plans

In addition to AR glasses, Meta is expanding its VR offerings with new headsets like the Quest 3 and exploring other wearable technologies. The company is focused on reducing costs to make the AR glasses more consumer-friendly by launch.

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From Digital Wallet to Stock Market: MobiKwik Expands Its Horizons with New Brokerage Venture

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From Digital Wallet to Stock Market: MobiKwik Expands Its Horizons with New Brokerage Venture

MobiKwik is venturing into the stock broking sector with the launch of its subsidiary, MobiKwik Securities Broking Private Limited (MSBPL), following approval from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs on March 3, 2025. This move aims to diversify MobiKwik’s offerings beyond its core digital payments services and compete with established players like Zerodha and Groww.

MSBPL will provide a range of brokerage services, including trading in shares, securities, commodities, and derivatives. The subsidiary has an initial capital of Rs 1 lakh, with plans for an additional Rs 2 crore investment to support its operations.

As MobiKwik enters this competitive market, it brings a substantial user base of 172 million and a merchant network of 5 million. Despite recent financial challenges, including a reported loss of Rs 55.2 crore in Q3 FY25, the company aims to leverage its existing infrastructure and user engagement to capture a share of the growing investment technology market, projected to reach $74 billion by 2030.

This strategic expansion aligns with MobiKwik’s broader goals of enhancing its financial service

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Strategic Shift: Nazara Sells Entire Stake in Sports Unity Amid Financial Challenges

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Strategic Shift: Nazara Sells Entire Stake in Sports Unity Amid Financial Challenges

Nazara Technologies has sold its entire 71.54% stake in Sports Unity Private Limited, the company behind the multiplayer quiz game ‘Qunami’, for INR 7.15 lakh. This divestment, effective March 25, 2025, signifies a strategic shift for Nazara, which had previously acquired a controlling interest in Sports Unity in 2019 for INR 7.5 crore.

The decision to offload the stake comes as Sports Unity has faced financial difficulties, reporting no active business operations and a negative net worth of INR 0.45 crore at the end of FY24. This move aligns with Nazara’s broader strategy to streamline its operations and concentrate on more profitable ventures within the gaming sector.

This sale follows Nazara’s recent divestment of a 94.85% stake in another subsidiary, Open Play, to Moonshine Technologies for INR 104.33 crore. Despite reporting record quarterly revenue of INR 544.7 crore in Q3 FY25, Nazara experienced a 53.5% decline in net profit year-over-year.

Nazara continues to focus on enhancing its portfolio through strategic acquisitions and investments in high-potential gaming platforms while navigating the competitive landscape of the gaming industry.

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