Vodafone Idea (Vi) subscribers have started to shift to Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio’s networks. While Airtel was already adding a ton of Vi customers, the numbers might be accelerated even more. Looking at the position that Vodafone Idea is currently in, there’s a good chance that the rate of subscribers shifting from Vi to Airtel and Jio will increase even further. Looking at the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) data shared by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for June 2021, Jefferies said, Vi customers have already started migrating from Airtel and Jio’s networks.
Total of 12.27 Million MNP Requests in June 2021 Recorded
As per the data shared by TRAI, there were 12.27 million MNP requests recorded in the month of June 2021. With this figure, the total number of MNP requests recorded in India reached 605.88 million at the end of June 2021.
Jefferies, in a note, said that looking at the delicate situation Vodafone Idea Limited (VIL) is in, the market shift of subscribers towards Airtel and Jio networks could be accelerated. Jio’s continuous addition of new subscribers is evidence of this.
Reliance Jio was the only operator which added new subscribers in both urban and rural India in June 2021. It is worth noting that it was urban India that contributed to the rise of the telecom sector in June 2021.
Vodafone Idea Needs to Invest in Networks Aggressively
Vodafone Idea needs the help of the government’s relief package so that it can save some money to invest in its networks aggressively. The telco has already been upgrading its 4G networks throughout the country, and all it needs is a little support from the government. If only Vodafone Idea can invest in its networks and expand coverage, it will become as good as Jio and Airtel in the medium-term. The telco does have the capacity to add millions of more users. All it needs is a break.
