Vodafone Idea, one of the largest telecom operators in India, has rebranded as 'Vi' as it looks for a “Fresh Start” three years after the British telecom giant Vodafone Group's India business and billionaire Kumar Mangalam Birla's Idea Cellular merged in the country.
“As the
integration of two businesses is now complete, it’s time for a fresh start.
That’s why we believe that now is the perfect time to launch Vi, one company
which provides the strength of Vodafone India and Idea,” Vodafone Group CEO
Nick Read said at a virtual conference on Monday.
Vodafone
Idea, once the largest telecom operator in the country with over 400 million
subscribers, has lost more than 100 million subscribers in recent years to new
comer Jio Platforms in recent years.
India’s
richest man Mukesh Ambani’s telecom venture has become the largest telecom
operator with nearly 400 million subscribers with its cut-rate mobile data
tariffs. Jio Platforms has also attracted over $20 billion in investment from high-profile firms
including Facebook and Google in recent months.
“India is the second largest telecom market
and the largest data consumer, globally. With 1.2 billion Indians accessing
voice and data services at the world’s lowest tariffs across 500,000 villages,
the ubiquitous wireless network in India is unmatched for its reach and impact
in people’s lives,” said Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman of Aditya Birla
Group and Vodafone Idea, at the conference today.
“With our new brand — Vi, we stand committed
to partner with government to accelerate India’s progression towards a digital
economy, enabling millions of citizens to connect to the digital revolution and
build a better tomorrow.”
