In 2017, India's telecom sector recorded $14.7 billion worth M&A deals -- a more than 5-fold increase in value terms from the previous year. Wireless tariff wars, the entry of Reliance Jio, heavy investment in spectrum and network infrastructure, among others, acted as triggers for the M&A deals. Main deals...
Airtel to Buy Telenor India
New Delhi headquartered telecom service provider Bharti Airtel will acquire Telenor’s India operations in a no-cash deal. However, it will take on the latter’s spectrum liabilities toward the government amounting to nearly $240 million, (Rs 1,600 crore) payable in installments till 2026. The Airtel-Telenor deal is subject to regulatory approvals,...
Indian Telcos Adopt Mobile Authentication
U.K.-based telecom industry body GSMA launched its Mobile Connect mobile-based authentication solution in India at an event in Delhi. The Mobile Connect solution enables customers to create and manage a digital universal identity via a single login. By matching the user to their mobile phone, Mobile Connect allows them to log-in to websites...
India's Telecom Operators Collaborate to Curb Call Drops
Last month, as part of a 100-day commitment to the government, telecom operators in India -- Bharti Airtel, Idea Cellular, Vodafone, BSNL, MTNL, Reliance Communications, Aircel, Telenor, Tata Docomo and Reliance Jio -- set up 48,000 new telecom sites across the country to curb call drops. Another 12,000 base transceiver stations will...