Vodafone Idea (Vi) has been quietly rewriting its playbook evolving from a traditional telecom operator into a full-stack digital powerhouse. While the transformation has flown under the radar, its growing footprint in OTT, gaming, cloud, and enterprise tech suggests that Vi’s digital ambitions are no longer just a survival strategy they are a long-term game plan.
Vi’s OTT Transformation
One of the clearest indicators of Vi’s digital ambitions is its revamped Vi Movies & TV app. No longer just a value-added service, this platform has evolved into a full scale OTT aggregator, bundling 18+ major OTT apps and access to 350+ TV channels. It's compatible across Android, iOS, and TV operating systems including Google TV, Samsung, and LG.
This strategic pivot helps Vi tap into the booming streaming market and retain users through content stickiness all under one subscription. It’s a calculated move to increase ARPU and user engagement, especially among urban and youth segments.
Gaming and eSports: Chasing the Attention Economy
In a smart play to capture Gen-Z and millennial audiences, Vodafone Idea is now venturing deep into the gaming and eSports space. Its casual gaming offerings come with multiplayer support, while partnerships with eSports startups aim to create a competitive ecosystem on the app.
Also Read: Vodafone Idea in Talks to Raise USD 2.9 Billion Loan to Strengthen Network: Report
This is more than a side hustle. With India’s gaming market exploding, Vi is turning its telco footprint into a real time gaming hub, driving daily engagement and paving the way for future in-app monetisation.
Vi Ads: The Telco-Turned-Adtech Player
Vi has quietly launched Vi Ads, its own self-serve advertising platform built on telco-grade first-party data. With rich user segmentation and location data, this ad-tech move allows Vi to directly monetise its user base, similar to what Jio and Airtel has attempted with JioAds and Airtel Ads.
Already integrated into media plans of major agencies, Vi Ads positions the company as a serious player in digital advertising, opening up revenue streams well beyond traditional data packs and recharge offers.
Edge Cloud and IoT: Building the Backend of the Future
Where Vi is really setting itself apart is in infrastructure. The company boasts 60+ edge cloud zones, 32,700+ fiber POPs, and 195,300+ IoT-enabled locations, giving it a powerful platform for latency sensitive services and real-time data flows.
Vi’s deep investment in big data, machine learning, and credit scoring tools reflects its ambition to become a cloud-native, AI-driven telco building services for enterprises, fintechs, and IoT developers at scale.
Empowering SMBs with Vi Business Solutions
Under its Vi Business umbrella, the company offers a complete suite of tools for small and medium enterprises. From cloud telephony, website builders, and secure workforce tools to digital assessments and B2B credit scoring solutions Vi is going beyond connectivity.
It’s becoming a digital transformation partner for India’s booming SMB ecosystem, providing plug-and-play solutions for digitising operations across sectors.
From Payments to Super App?
Vi is also inching toward super app territory. With features that allow users to pay utility bills, recharge DTH or FASTag, insurance premium, or access exclusive partner deals, the Vi app is turning into a multi-functional daily tool.
Supported by 100M+ users and over 725,000 merchant touchpoints, Vi is strategically placing itself to benefit from rising fintech adoption without building a full wallet product—yet.
Partner-Driven Scale: The Vi Collaboration Model
Rather than building everything in-house, Vi is focusing on smart partnerships. It is collaborating with global and regional content platforms, handset manufacturers. This ecosystem strategy is cost-effective and fast to scale. It allows Vi to enter high-growth verticals without overextending its resources turning collaboration into a core strength.
Final Word: A Telco Becoming a TechCo
Vi’s shift from a struggling telecom player to a quiet digital force is becoming clearer with every move. It’s not just about network upgrades anymore it’s about building a full-stack digital platform that touches content, commerce, cloud, advertising, and beyond.
As India’s digital economy matures and newer use cases in IoT, edge, and AI gain traction, Vi may just emerge as one of the most unexpected turnaround stories in the telecom tech convergence.
With a growing portfolio across OTT, gaming, cloud, and IoT, Vi is slowly shifting from a telco to a diversified digital business. If this momentum sustains, Vi could soon unlock entirely new revenue verticals and rewrite its narrative from recovery to reinvention.
