On Monday, Vodafone Idea (Vi) announced its quarterly results. The results showed that Vodafone Idea gained in the average revenue per user (ARPU) department but lost millions of active subscribers. Vodafone Idea's 4G subscriber growth was way too slow and insignificant compared to what the telco had reported in the previous quarters. The loss widened significantly, and the company's debt increased too. The subscriber churn rate also went up, meaning subscribers are leaving the network of Vi at an accelerated pace. Let me take you through the important metrics of the results.
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Vodafone Idea Q1 FY24 Results Key Metrics
Vodafone Idea's loss for the quarter was Rs 7,840 crore, which is higher than the Rs 6,419 crore that the telco posted in the preceding quarter. Couple this widening loss with the fact that the company has not been able to raise any significant funds from outside investors, and one can comprehend the tough position Vi is in.
Let's quickly go through the other important metrics:
- ARPU increased to Rs 139 from Rs 135 in the previous quarter.
- 4G user base increased from 122.6 million to 122.9 million QoQ.
- Subscriber churn rate increased from 3.8% to 3.9% QoQ.
- Active subscribers decreased from 207. 9 million to 202.7 million.
- Gross debt increased from Rs 2,092.6 billion to Rs 2,117.6 billion QoQ.
- Overall broadband sites decreased from 443,500 to 442,100.
- The company is still in discussion with the vendors to roll out 5G.
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It is very much clear that the 4G subscriber growth is not what it needs to be. The telco isn't able to grow the 4G subscriber base which will definitely affect the ability to earn more and increase ARPU. The active subscribers are very close to going below the 200 million mark. Gross debt increasing is not a good sign as Vi has not been able to raise funds.
Further, the overall broadband sites of Vi have reduced. Whether it was a strategic decision to optimise costs or if it was just because of simply not being able to afford it is something we might get clarity on during the earnings call. Vi is in dire need of funding as the telco has several short-term payments coming up.
Vodafone Idea's CEO, Akshaya Moondra, said, "The eighth consecutive quarter of growth in average daily revenue, ARPU and 4G subscribers, clearly reflects our ability to effectively operate and compete in the market. Recently, we launched ‘Vi One’, a converged offering bundling mobility, broadband & content under a single plan bringing convenience and value to the consumers; an industry first in prepaid space. We remain engaged with our lenders for further debt fund raising as well as with other parties for equity or equity linked fund raising, to make required investments for network expansion, including 5G rollout."
