From : Divya Bhaskar
From : The Economic Times
From : Jai Hind
From : Prabhat
From : Rajasthan Patrika
From : The Times of India
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Vodafone M-Pesa launch in Gujarat covered by Local Press
From : Commodity World
From : Divya Bhaskar
From : The Economic Times
From : Jai Hind
From : Prabhat
From : Rajasthan Patrika
From : The Times of India
From : Divya Bhaskar
From : The Economic Times
From : Jai Hind
From : Prabhat
From : Rajasthan Patrika
From : The Times of India
Vodafone launches money transfer service 'm-pesa'
From : Western Times (Page 3)
Vodafone India along with ICICI Bank today launched its mobile money transfer and payment service ‘m-pesa’ in Gujarat, which is 12th state in the country to provide services.
The company plans to rollout the service in other parts of the country within couple of months, said Mr. BP Singh, Business Head - West, Vodafone India.
“We expect a small number of people to adapt this initially...if classical marketing theory is anything to go by usually about half to one per cent of people adopt a new product,” Brijesh Bajpayee, Business Head Gujarat of the company said.
He, however, added, the company expects the product to go “viral” in the days ahead going by the kind of response it got in countries like Kenya.
“We clearly feel the initial experience will come by our push...point of inflection, there is a point when it becomes viral and people start doing it with word of the mouth,” Suresh Sethi, Business Head (m-pesa), Vodafone India said.
The service allows customers to transfer money to any mobile phone, remit money to a bank account, make payments for utility bills and deposit and withdraw cash from designated outlets.
The users need to deposit Rs 200 to register for the service and the company charges Rs 10 per transaction as convenience fee for payment of utilities. Apart from that, there are various slabs for transaction charges for transferring money.
The service will be available through 2000 authorised agents and across 312 Vodafone exclusive retail stores in state. Apart from Gujarat, the service, which was launched in 11 state of the country has already 5 lakh customers registered under m-pesa service.
Vodafone India along with ICICI Bank today launched its mobile money transfer and payment service ‘m-pesa’ in Gujarat, which is 12th state in the country to provide services.
The company plans to rollout the service in other parts of the country within couple of months, said Mr. BP Singh, Business Head - West, Vodafone India.
“We expect a small number of people to adapt this initially...if classical marketing theory is anything to go by usually about half to one per cent of people adopt a new product,” Brijesh Bajpayee, Business Head Gujarat of the company said.
He, however, added, the company expects the product to go “viral” in the days ahead going by the kind of response it got in countries like Kenya.
“We clearly feel the initial experience will come by our push...point of inflection, there is a point when it becomes viral and people start doing it with word of the mouth,” Suresh Sethi, Business Head (m-pesa), Vodafone India said.
The service allows customers to transfer money to any mobile phone, remit money to a bank account, make payments for utility bills and deposit and withdraw cash from designated outlets.
The users need to deposit Rs 200 to register for the service and the company charges Rs 10 per transaction as convenience fee for payment of utilities. Apart from that, there are various slabs for transaction charges for transferring money.
The service will be available through 2000 authorised agents and across 312 Vodafone exclusive retail stores in state. Apart from Gujarat, the service, which was launched in 11 state of the country has already 5 lakh customers registered under m-pesa service.
Vodafone Introduces mPesa Service In Gujarat, Plans Pan-India By 2014
From : WAT Blog.com
Vodafone India has unveiled mPesa service in Gujarat by joining hands with ICICI bank. The company is also planning to further expand the service to pan India by next year. As per the reports, the company is targeting the USD 60 Billion money transfer market in the country along with the government benefits transfer market worth $55 Billion.
The telecom operator had first announced the service in November last year while it was officially launched in Mumbai this August. mPesa enables users to transact using the M-Pesa accounts and do transactions like withdrawing cash from specified outlets, paying utility bills, buying mobile recharge and transferring money to any mobile phone or bank account.
Vodafone’s Brajesh Bajpai, Business Head, Gujarat said that m-PESA service will be aiming at 17 million subscriber base in the state of Gujarat. For using the service, Vodafone would levy transaction charges between 1.2 and 1.5% of the value of transaction. The service is also available in Kolkata, West Bengal, UP East, UP West, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Goa.
By 2015, mobile money transfers in India could total $350 billion annually, some analysts estimate. Also, mobile transactions have soared in India as per a latest NPCI report.
Vodafone India has unveiled mPesa service in Gujarat by joining hands with ICICI bank. The company is also planning to further expand the service to pan India by next year. As per the reports, the company is targeting the USD 60 Billion money transfer market in the country along with the government benefits transfer market worth $55 Billion.
The telecom operator had first announced the service in November last year while it was officially launched in Mumbai this August. mPesa enables users to transact using the M-Pesa accounts and do transactions like withdrawing cash from specified outlets, paying utility bills, buying mobile recharge and transferring money to any mobile phone or bank account.
Vodafone’s Brajesh Bajpai, Business Head, Gujarat said that m-PESA service will be aiming at 17 million subscriber base in the state of Gujarat. For using the service, Vodafone would levy transaction charges between 1.2 and 1.5% of the value of transaction. The service is also available in Kolkata, West Bengal, UP East, UP West, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Goa.
By 2015, mobile money transfers in India could total $350 billion annually, some analysts estimate. Also, mobile transactions have soared in India as per a latest NPCI report.
Vodafone rings m-pesa in Gujarat
From : DNA
Ahmedabad: Vodafone, the largest telecom subscriber of Gujarat, has launched a facility to have digital money. Forms of cash and plastic money will soon be replaced by digital money or mobile commerce, called m-pesa, by Vodafone.
On Monday, Vodafone India and ICICI Bank announced the launch of m-pesa, a unique mobile money transfer and payment service in the state. M-Pesa is the trademark of Vodafone. It empowers the un-banked and under-banked sections of the population gain access to financial services via the mobile phone.
M-pesa effectively leverages the combined strengths of Vodafone's global expertise in the domain of mobile payment and significant distribution reach in India plus the security of financial transactions provided by ICICI. This service is available across 170 tehsils, 29 districts through 2,000 specially trained authorised agents and across 312 Vodafone exclusive retail/mini stores across the state.
First ecosystem has to be created, said Brajesh Bajpai, the business head of Gujarat, Vodafone India. "We have not launched a product or service. But it is a concept for consumers. For this, we will have to educate consumers, retailers and aggressively market this service," he said.
At present, transaction charges on m-pesa are less compared to credit card charges. Charges over m-pesa transactions are not fixed forever, said BP Singh, operations of director west, Vodafone India. "As and when the volume of m-pesa transactions increases, there are high chances of transaction charges coming down. At present, we have launched a service to help one transfer money whenever required," he said.
This service is launched catering to the need of the masses, said business head of m-pesa, Vodafone India, Suresh Sethi. "Today, more than 95% of the villages in India do not have any banking outlet. Financial inclusion is a national priority and we believe that with m-pesa, we now have the ideal offering to facilitate the same across the country in compliance with all applicable regulations," he said.
Ahmedabad: Vodafone, the largest telecom subscriber of Gujarat, has launched a facility to have digital money. Forms of cash and plastic money will soon be replaced by digital money or mobile commerce, called m-pesa, by Vodafone.
On Monday, Vodafone India and ICICI Bank announced the launch of m-pesa, a unique mobile money transfer and payment service in the state. M-Pesa is the trademark of Vodafone. It empowers the un-banked and under-banked sections of the population gain access to financial services via the mobile phone.
M-pesa effectively leverages the combined strengths of Vodafone's global expertise in the domain of mobile payment and significant distribution reach in India plus the security of financial transactions provided by ICICI. This service is available across 170 tehsils, 29 districts through 2,000 specially trained authorised agents and across 312 Vodafone exclusive retail/mini stores across the state.
First ecosystem has to be created, said Brajesh Bajpai, the business head of Gujarat, Vodafone India. "We have not launched a product or service. But it is a concept for consumers. For this, we will have to educate consumers, retailers and aggressively market this service," he said.
At present, transaction charges on m-pesa are less compared to credit card charges. Charges over m-pesa transactions are not fixed forever, said BP Singh, operations of director west, Vodafone India. "As and when the volume of m-pesa transactions increases, there are high chances of transaction charges coming down. At present, we have launched a service to help one transfer money whenever required," he said.
This service is launched catering to the need of the masses, said business head of m-pesa, Vodafone India, Suresh Sethi. "Today, more than 95% of the villages in India do not have any banking outlet. Financial inclusion is a national priority and we believe that with m-pesa, we now have the ideal offering to facilitate the same across the country in compliance with all applicable regulations," he said.
Monday, December 23, 2013
Suresh Sethi, B P SIngh & Brajesh Bajpai launch 'M-Pesa' service in Ahmedabad
From : Getty Images
M-Pesa Vodafone India's Business Head, Suresh Sethi (R), Vodafone India's Operations Director (West) BP Singh (L) and Vodafone India Gujarat's Business Head, Brajesh Bajpai (C) pose during the launch of the 'M-Pesa' service in Ahmedabad on December 23, 2013. Vodafone India in association with ICICI bank launched the money transfer and payment service 'M-Pesa', allowing customers to deposit and withdraw cash from designated outlets, transfer money to any mobile phone in the country, make payment to recharge mobile, clear utility bills and for DTH service subscription and shopping services.
AFP PHOTO / Sam PANTHAKY (Photo credit should read SAM PANTHAKY/AFP/Getty Images)
From : The Echo of India
Bhuvanesh Pratap Singh Operations Director - West (Centre) Brajesh Bajapai Business Head (L) and Suresh Sethi Business Head - M-Pesa at the launch of Vodaphone M-Pesa in Gujarat in Ahmedabad on Monday.
M-Pesa Vodafone India's Business Head, Suresh Sethi (R), Vodafone India's Operations Director (West) BP Singh (L) and Vodafone India Gujarat's Business Head, Brajesh Bajpai (C) pose during the launch of the 'M-Pesa' service in Ahmedabad on December 23, 2013. Vodafone India in association with ICICI bank launched the money transfer and payment service 'M-Pesa', allowing customers to deposit and withdraw cash from designated outlets, transfer money to any mobile phone in the country, make payment to recharge mobile, clear utility bills and for DTH service subscription and shopping services.
AFP PHOTO / Sam PANTHAKY (Photo credit should read SAM PANTHAKY/AFP/Getty Images)
From : The Echo of India
Bhuvanesh Pratap Singh Operations Director - West (Centre) Brajesh Bajapai Business Head (L) and Suresh Sethi Business Head - M-Pesa at the launch of Vodaphone M-Pesa in Gujarat in Ahmedabad on Monday.
Vodafone to take m-pesa pan-India next year
From : The Hindu Business Line
Vodafone India, which together with ICICI Bank rolled out its mobile money transfer and payment service m-pesa in Gujarat on Monday, plans to expand it across India in 2014, a senior official said here.
Vodafone , which currently provides m-pesa service in 11 States in the country, is targeting the $60 billion money transfer market in the country, 20% of which is dependent on the traditional channels like post offices, said Suresh Sethi Business Head, m-pesa.
The telecom service provider is also targeting the government benefits transfer market worth $55 billion.
At present, 30 per cent of money is transferred through formal channels and 70 per cent through informal ones, including ‘havala’, he said.
Vodafone, which launched m-pesa in Kenya in 2006, now has an 85 per cent market share in that African country with a population of 40 million. In Africa, more people have mobile banking accounts than traditional ones, he said.
About the rollout in India, Bhuvanesh Pratap Singh, Operations Director, West, Vodafone India, said only 35 per cent Indians have access to formal financial services with only one branch for every 12,000 people. Only 5 per cent villages have a bank and 73 per cent farmers’ households have no formal sources of credit. Besides, 300 million migrant populations across India had only a limited access to banking services. Normally, villagers have to travel up to 40 km to access a bank.
In India, the overall penetration of telecom services is 70% in urban areas and 40% in rural areas, with Vodafone being the number two provider in terms of revenues. In Gujarat, it covers 96% of population with a 17 million subscriber base, said Brajesh Bajpai, Business Head, Gujarat.
Vodafone would levy transaction charges between 1.2 and 1.5% of the value of transaction.
Vodafone India, which together with ICICI Bank rolled out its mobile money transfer and payment service m-pesa in Gujarat on Monday, plans to expand it across India in 2014, a senior official said here.
Vodafone , which currently provides m-pesa service in 11 States in the country, is targeting the $60 billion money transfer market in the country, 20% of which is dependent on the traditional channels like post offices, said Suresh Sethi Business Head, m-pesa.
The telecom service provider is also targeting the government benefits transfer market worth $55 billion.
At present, 30 per cent of money is transferred through formal channels and 70 per cent through informal ones, including ‘havala’, he said.
Vodafone, which launched m-pesa in Kenya in 2006, now has an 85 per cent market share in that African country with a population of 40 million. In Africa, more people have mobile banking accounts than traditional ones, he said.
About the rollout in India, Bhuvanesh Pratap Singh, Operations Director, West, Vodafone India, said only 35 per cent Indians have access to formal financial services with only one branch for every 12,000 people. Only 5 per cent villages have a bank and 73 per cent farmers’ households have no formal sources of credit. Besides, 300 million migrant populations across India had only a limited access to banking services. Normally, villagers have to travel up to 40 km to access a bank.
In India, the overall penetration of telecom services is 70% in urban areas and 40% in rural areas, with Vodafone being the number two provider in terms of revenues. In Gujarat, it covers 96% of population with a 17 million subscriber base, said Brajesh Bajpai, Business Head, Gujarat.
Vodafone would levy transaction charges between 1.2 and 1.5% of the value of transaction.
Saturday, December 21, 2013
Rural distribution network project wins $140,000 innovation grant
From Times of India
AHMEDABAD: The RUDI Sandesha Vyavhar (RSV), a unique mobile-based management solution, developed collaboratively with Vodafone Foundation, Cherie Blair Foundation for Women and Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA), has been given a GSMA mWomen Innovation Fund Grant. The $140,000 grant will be used to enhance the functionality of the RSV application and also integrate Vodafone's M-Pesa mobile money payment platform to expand the RUDI network for fostering livelihoods of more rural women.
The project enables RUDI women — the rural distribution network of SEWA — to order stock from the field and have their goods delivered, receive real time updates from RUDI on price changes or marketing schemes, and for RUDI to transfer the entire management of the RUDI business from a paper-based system to an electronic backend.
Since its launch at the Mobile for Good Summit, December 2012, London, UK, more than 1000 RUDI women have been using the RSV tool. RUDI women who earned INR 4,000-5,000 per month now generate monthly incomes of Rs 12,000-15,000. Women involved reported that they can now afford two meals a day for their family and children can be schooled. Further upscaling will benefit nearly 2,500 rural women, touching 2.5 million people by 2015 in Gujarat.
The technical enhancements of the RSV tool, based on feedback from the RUDI bens using RSV, will include elements such as SMS alerts on orders, a mobile app for customers to place direct orders with Rudibens and a feature that will enable the transfer of customer-specific transaction data from the phones of the RUDI women directly to the RSV backend. Incorporation of Vodafone's M-Pesa service into the RSV tool will enable RUDI women to make payments to RUDI for stock and receiving payments from their customers remotely. This will significantly reduce costs of travel and risks associated with cash-based transactions.
According to Vodafone, the project is innovative because there is no other rural supply chain that has developed its own bespoke MIS tool that runs on simple feature phones.
Reema Nanavaty, director, SEWA said, "The grant will help strengthen the RUDI supply chain, increasing operational efficiency which will help forge more business partnerships. The technology will be the tool for empowering our rural members — making them more informed better entrepreneurs and equip women to fight poverty and gain economic freedom."
AHMEDABAD: The RUDI Sandesha Vyavhar (RSV), a unique mobile-based management solution, developed collaboratively with Vodafone Foundation, Cherie Blair Foundation for Women and Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA), has been given a GSMA mWomen Innovation Fund Grant. The $140,000 grant will be used to enhance the functionality of the RSV application and also integrate Vodafone's M-Pesa mobile money payment platform to expand the RUDI network for fostering livelihoods of more rural women.
The project enables RUDI women — the rural distribution network of SEWA — to order stock from the field and have their goods delivered, receive real time updates from RUDI on price changes or marketing schemes, and for RUDI to transfer the entire management of the RUDI business from a paper-based system to an electronic backend.
Since its launch at the Mobile for Good Summit, December 2012, London, UK, more than 1000 RUDI women have been using the RSV tool. RUDI women who earned INR 4,000-5,000 per month now generate monthly incomes of Rs 12,000-15,000. Women involved reported that they can now afford two meals a day for their family and children can be schooled. Further upscaling will benefit nearly 2,500 rural women, touching 2.5 million people by 2015 in Gujarat.
The technical enhancements of the RSV tool, based on feedback from the RUDI bens using RSV, will include elements such as SMS alerts on orders, a mobile app for customers to place direct orders with Rudibens and a feature that will enable the transfer of customer-specific transaction data from the phones of the RUDI women directly to the RSV backend. Incorporation of Vodafone's M-Pesa service into the RSV tool will enable RUDI women to make payments to RUDI for stock and receiving payments from their customers remotely. This will significantly reduce costs of travel and risks associated with cash-based transactions.
According to Vodafone, the project is innovative because there is no other rural supply chain that has developed its own bespoke MIS tool that runs on simple feature phones.
Reema Nanavaty, director, SEWA said, "The grant will help strengthen the RUDI supply chain, increasing operational efficiency which will help forge more business partnerships. The technology will be the tool for empowering our rural members — making them more informed better entrepreneurs and equip women to fight poverty and gain economic freedom."
Thursday, December 05, 2013
About 17% subscribers from Gujarat have applied for mobile number portability
From : The Times of India
Over 88 lakh telecom subscribers In Gujarat have applied to switch to other operators through mobile number portability (MNP) since it was introduced. According to the data available from Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), at the end of September 2013, 17% of total mobile subscribers in Gujarat have applied for shifting to other service providers via MNP.
As per the Trai data, Gujarat has 52140709 mobile subscribers and out of which 8866915 applications for MNP have been registered.
With the mobile telecom industry in Gujarat circle witnessing significant growth over the past few years, MNP applications from subscribers has witnessed 8.98 % rise in second quarter ending September 2013. Gujarat circle saw a rise of 730654 applications for MNP to 8866915 at the end of September 2013 form 8136261 applications at the end of June 2013.
It is believed that last year a few smaller players had shut down their operations in Gujarat circle and established and stronger players benefited of this phenomenon. Moreover, affordable tariff plans coupled with stronger network offered by telecom majors had attracted a large number of subscribers through MNP.
"The rise in MNP application certainly has brought a key opportunity for the service providers who serve the customers best in terms of network, cost effectiveness, 24x7 customer assistance and innovative products," said Brajesh Bajpai, business head-Gujarat, Vodafone India.
For the quarter ended 30th September 2013, data service has been the key factor for subscribers changing service provider via MNP. Cost effective data plans, fast and uninterrupted internet services and strong network availability are some of the reason subscribers in Gujarat circle applied for MNP.
Over 88 lakh telecom subscribers In Gujarat have applied to switch to other operators through mobile number portability (MNP) since it was introduced. According to the data available from Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), at the end of September 2013, 17% of total mobile subscribers in Gujarat have applied for shifting to other service providers via MNP.
As per the Trai data, Gujarat has 52140709 mobile subscribers and out of which 8866915 applications for MNP have been registered.
With the mobile telecom industry in Gujarat circle witnessing significant growth over the past few years, MNP applications from subscribers has witnessed 8.98 % rise in second quarter ending September 2013. Gujarat circle saw a rise of 730654 applications for MNP to 8866915 at the end of September 2013 form 8136261 applications at the end of June 2013.
It is believed that last year a few smaller players had shut down their operations in Gujarat circle and established and stronger players benefited of this phenomenon. Moreover, affordable tariff plans coupled with stronger network offered by telecom majors had attracted a large number of subscribers through MNP.
"The rise in MNP application certainly has brought a key opportunity for the service providers who serve the customers best in terms of network, cost effectiveness, 24x7 customer assistance and innovative products," said Brajesh Bajpai, business head-Gujarat, Vodafone India.
For the quarter ended 30th September 2013, data service has been the key factor for subscribers changing service provider via MNP. Cost effective data plans, fast and uninterrupted internet services and strong network availability are some of the reason subscribers in Gujarat circle applied for MNP.
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Gujarat tops in new rural mobile subscribers
From : The Times of India
Gujarat has added the maximum rural mobile phone subscribers in India, according to the latest report by Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI). With a net addition of close to 5 lakh rural subscribers in August, Gujarat has added more subscribers than any state in the country.
The director of the department of telecom (DoT), Gujarat, Rajeev Kushwah attributes the rise in rural subscribers in the state to the saturated urban market. "Most people in villages are ready to lose their existing connection if another operator offers a slight benefit. Besides, it is easier to switch to new operators in rural areas, as the guidelines are stricter in urban areas."
According to reports, Gujarat's rural market has 35.6 lakh homes using cellphones compared to 35.7 lakh urban houses. Telecom operators, who have seen a drop of over 16 lakh subscribers at the end of March 2013 compared to the year ending March 31, 2012, are aggressively tapping the rural market in the state to achieve a balance.
"There is tremendous potential in the rural hinterland of Gujarat. The growing numbers of our mobile subscribers in rural Gujarat is the reflection of unique and aggressive steps taken in order to deepen our rural penetration with key initiatives such as Lal Dukan, Har Gaon Hamara Gaon and easy recharge or top up services," said Brajesh Bajpai, business head, Gujarat, Vodafone India.
Of about 5 crore customers in Gujarat, the overall new net addition on average in the last 10 months has been less than 1 lakh a month, which gives companies a lot of scope in villages that are growing faster in terms of subscriber additions.
"In cities, everyone has a mobile connection - security guards, maids, rickshawallahs, among others. So, who do telecom companies sell to now? That is why telecom companies are looking at tapping newer markets," Kushwah added.
Gujarat has added the maximum rural mobile phone subscribers in India, according to the latest report by Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI). With a net addition of close to 5 lakh rural subscribers in August, Gujarat has added more subscribers than any state in the country.
The director of the department of telecom (DoT), Gujarat, Rajeev Kushwah attributes the rise in rural subscribers in the state to the saturated urban market. "Most people in villages are ready to lose their existing connection if another operator offers a slight benefit. Besides, it is easier to switch to new operators in rural areas, as the guidelines are stricter in urban areas."
According to reports, Gujarat's rural market has 35.6 lakh homes using cellphones compared to 35.7 lakh urban houses. Telecom operators, who have seen a drop of over 16 lakh subscribers at the end of March 2013 compared to the year ending March 31, 2012, are aggressively tapping the rural market in the state to achieve a balance.
"There is tremendous potential in the rural hinterland of Gujarat. The growing numbers of our mobile subscribers in rural Gujarat is the reflection of unique and aggressive steps taken in order to deepen our rural penetration with key initiatives such as Lal Dukan, Har Gaon Hamara Gaon and easy recharge or top up services," said Brajesh Bajpai, business head, Gujarat, Vodafone India.
Of about 5 crore customers in Gujarat, the overall new net addition on average in the last 10 months has been less than 1 lakh a month, which gives companies a lot of scope in villages that are growing faster in terms of subscriber additions.
"In cities, everyone has a mobile connection - security guards, maids, rickshawallahs, among others. So, who do telecom companies sell to now? That is why telecom companies are looking at tapping newer markets," Kushwah added.
Thursday, November 07, 2013
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Vodafone Ban Jao Star Contest Awards
Presenting Awards to "Vodafone Ban Jao Star" Contest Winners with Aditi Rao Hydari
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Aditi Rao Hydari dazzles garba revelers in Ahmedabad
From Times of India
Dhwani Shah (Vadodara), Ashish Doshi (director, ticketplease.com), actor Aditi Rao Hydari, Brajesh Bajpai (business head—Gujarat, Vodafone India)
The celebratory cheers this Navratri got a roaring thumbs up from the garba revelers this year. For this Navratri, Vodafone's 'Become a Star with Vodafone Mobile Internet' contest that aimed at adding joy to customers' excitement for the longest dance festival in the world has proven to be yet another unique initiative for customer connect.
The contest witnessed an overwhelming response from customers in Gujarat. On the eighth day of Navratri, Vodafone felicitated 10 lucky winners of the contest and the announcement of winners became more exciting with the presence of Bollywood diva Aditi Rao Hydari. The 10 lucky winners of the contest got once in a life time opportunity to live the life of a 'star' including red carpet welcome to stay at a luxury hotel.
Commenting on Vodafone's innovative data strategy for Gujarat, Brajesh Bajpai, business head — Gujarat, Vodafone India said, "Data is foreseen as the next big thing for the telecom industry in India and the growing number of data enabled smartphones will certainly increase the demand for mobile internet. We see immense growth potential and are looking to be an integral part of this opportunity by helping accelerate mobile internet adoption through penetration, consumption and value addition. We constantly come up with unique campaigns and exciting offers, to drive data adoption. Navratri is an important festival for us as part of our marketing and customer engagement activities. As an undisputed market leader in Gujarat, we constantly aim to stay connected with our large base of customers in Gujarat and this Navratri also we came up with this interesting contest that was well appreciated by our customers."
All in all this was a glam studded evening which saw high octane festive fervour at its best during the Ban Jao Star with Vodafone mobile internet contest.
The celebratory cheers this Navratri got a roaring thumbs up from the garba revelers this year. For this Navratri, Vodafone's 'Become a Star with Vodafone Mobile Internet' contest that aimed at adding joy to customers' excitement for the longest dance festival in the world has proven to be yet another unique initiative for customer connect.
The contest witnessed an overwhelming response from customers in Gujarat. On the eighth day of Navratri, Vodafone felicitated 10 lucky winners of the contest and the announcement of winners became more exciting with the presence of Bollywood diva Aditi Rao Hydari. The 10 lucky winners of the contest got once in a life time opportunity to live the life of a 'star' including red carpet welcome to stay at a luxury hotel.
Commenting on Vodafone's innovative data strategy for Gujarat, Brajesh Bajpai, business head — Gujarat, Vodafone India said, "Data is foreseen as the next big thing for the telecom industry in India and the growing number of data enabled smartphones will certainly increase the demand for mobile internet. We see immense growth potential and are looking to be an integral part of this opportunity by helping accelerate mobile internet adoption through penetration, consumption and value addition. We constantly come up with unique campaigns and exciting offers, to drive data adoption. Navratri is an important festival for us as part of our marketing and customer engagement activities. As an undisputed market leader in Gujarat, we constantly aim to stay connected with our large base of customers in Gujarat and this Navratri also we came up with this interesting contest that was well appreciated by our customers."
All in all this was a glam studded evening which saw high octane festive fervour at its best during the Ban Jao Star with Vodafone mobile internet contest.
Monday, October 14, 2013
Meet The Festive Rockers
(L-R ) Pritesh Vakhariya (Ahmedabad),Prachi Patel (Ahmedabad),Shruti Shah (Surat),Pooja Gajera (Rajkot),Dhwani Shah (Vadodara),Ashish Doshi (director,ticketplease.com),actor Aditi Rao Hydari,Brajesh Bajpai (Business Head -Gujarat,Vodafone India),Pratik Bhatt (Ahmedabad),Zankhana Thakkar (Ahmedabad),Kaushal Ramani (Ahmedabad),Nupur Barot (Ahmedabad),Aashini Pandya (Anand)
The celebratory cheers this Navratri got a roaring thumbs up from the garba revelers this year.For this Navratri,Vodafones Become a Star with Vodafone Mobile Internet contest that aimed at adding joy to customers excitement for the longest dance festival in the world has proven to be yet another unique initiative for customer connect.
The contest witnessed an overwhelming response from customers in Gujarat.On the eighth day of Navratri,Vodafone felicitated 10 lucky winners of the contest and the announcement of winners became more exciting with the presence of Bollywood diva Aditi Rao Hydari.The 10 lucky winners of the contest got once in a life time opportunity to live the life of a star including red carpet welcome to stay at a luxury hotel.
Commenting on Vodafones innovative data strategy for Gujarat,Brajesh Bajpai,business head Gujarat,Vodafone India said,Data is foreseen as the next big thing for the telecom industry in India and the growing number of data enabled smartphones will certainly increase the demand for mobile internet.We see immense growth potential and are looking to be an integral part of this opportunity by helping accelerate mobile internet adoption through penetration, consumption and value addition.
We constantly come up with unique campaigns and exciting offers,to drive data adoption.Navratri is an important festival for us as part of our marketing and customer engagement activities.As an undisputed market leader in Gujarat,we constantly aim to stay connected with our large base of customers in Gujarat and this Navratri also we came up with this interesting contest that was well appreciated by our customers.
All in all this was a glam studded evening which saw high octane festive fervour at its best during the Ban Jao Star with Vodafone mobile internet contest.
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Go Starry This Navratri
From The Times of India page 31
B.P Singh,Operations Director West Zone and Brajesh Bajpai, Business Head-Gujarat for Vodafone enjoy the garba at a popular Navratri venue
Giant 30 feet dandiya put up by Vodafone
As Navratri continues to gain momentum,Vodafone India,one of Indias leading telecom service providers,brought an opportunity for its customers in Gujarat to become a star with its mobile internet to add more to the festive celebrations.Vodafone had launched Ban Jao Star contest that gave a chance to 10 customers to become famous and treated them to a day of stardom.This was a part of customer connect initiatives and aimed to add excitement to the festivities of the season.
This year the contest made it more special by choosing 10 winners during the festival and for a day all the winners got to live the life of a star including red carpet welcome to stay at a luxury hotel and also a once in a life time opportunity to feature in the Vodafones print ad.
Vodafone had put together an array of 360 marketing activities like print,radio,digital,tie ups with premier garba venues like Rajpath Club,Karnavati Club and many more across the state.For on-ground activation they had put up stalls,giving an opportunity to customers to upload their photographs on spot. Also they had put a giant 30 feet dandiya at Rajpath Club which was much appreciated by the garba revellers.
Commenting on Vodafones efforts to take the fun and excitement quotient to new heights with these exclusive offers, Brajesh Bajpai,Business Head,Gujarat,Vodafone India,said "At Vodafone,we adopt a customer first motto,where customer and his requirements become the core of all that we do.We constantly try to come up with innovative ways and means to become more relevant to the special needs of our customers.With this Vodafone Ban Jao Star contest we aimed to make Navratri an unforgettable experience for the people of Gujarat."
To participate in this contest Garba lovers had to simply upload their photographs on www.vodafone.in/navratri or could also send their photographs on +919825000009 via Whatsapp.
B.P Singh,Operations Director West Zone and Brajesh Bajpai, Business Head-Gujarat for Vodafone enjoy the garba at a popular Navratri venue
Giant 30 feet dandiya put up by Vodafone
As Navratri continues to gain momentum,Vodafone India,one of Indias leading telecom service providers,brought an opportunity for its customers in Gujarat to become a star with its mobile internet to add more to the festive celebrations.Vodafone had launched Ban Jao Star contest that gave a chance to 10 customers to become famous and treated them to a day of stardom.This was a part of customer connect initiatives and aimed to add excitement to the festivities of the season.
This year the contest made it more special by choosing 10 winners during the festival and for a day all the winners got to live the life of a star including red carpet welcome to stay at a luxury hotel and also a once in a life time opportunity to feature in the Vodafones print ad.
Vodafone had put together an array of 360 marketing activities like print,radio,digital,tie ups with premier garba venues like Rajpath Club,Karnavati Club and many more across the state.For on-ground activation they had put up stalls,giving an opportunity to customers to upload their photographs on spot. Also they had put a giant 30 feet dandiya at Rajpath Club which was much appreciated by the garba revellers.
Commenting on Vodafones efforts to take the fun and excitement quotient to new heights with these exclusive offers, Brajesh Bajpai,Business Head,Gujarat,Vodafone India,said "At Vodafone,we adopt a customer first motto,where customer and his requirements become the core of all that we do.We constantly try to come up with innovative ways and means to become more relevant to the special needs of our customers.With this Vodafone Ban Jao Star contest we aimed to make Navratri an unforgettable experience for the people of Gujarat."
To participate in this contest Garba lovers had to simply upload their photographs on www.vodafone.in/navratri or could also send their photographs on +919825000009 via Whatsapp.
Tuesday, October 08, 2013
Gujarat Leads Telco Revenue Numbers
From The Times of India
Ahmedabad: The demand for telecom services in Gujarat may help telecom players discard the weak economic cues on the national and global front.Gujarat leads growth in revenue as compared to other states that fall into Circle A.
For Q1 of FY2013-14,Gujarat has posted a revenue growth rate of 10.29% while Maharashtra has posted 6.04%,Andhra Pradesh has reported 5.29%,Karnataka registered 10.16% and Tamil Nadu witnessed a growth rate of 9.79% for the period under review.
Telcos have posted revenues of Rs 2,350.86 crore in Q1 of 2013-14 as against Rs 2,131.43 crore in the corresponding period last year,a rise of 10.13%.
Telcos seem to have absorbed the shocks of the financial crunch and bounced back with more power this year.Telecom companies in Gujarat had posted only a 3.57% rise in gross revenue in Q1 of 2012-13 as compared to Q1 of 2011-12.
Call rates have increased,discounts have been rolled back and only some new players are offering extra talk time now.As a lot of telecom players had to shut down operations in some states and circles and are preparing to get new licenses.All these factors may have pushed them to expand in and focus on states like Gujarat that are fetching them better revenues, a telecom player said.
Gujarat has also added an impressive amount of new customers in the review period.Over the past few years,Gujarat has witnessed a significant growth in both 2G and 3G services usage, said Brajesh Bajpai, Business Head-Gujarat,Vodafone India.
Overall,Gujarats telecom story has undergone a sea change in the last five years with telecom companies in the state posting 77% growth in gross revenues in the past five years.
Ahmedabad: The demand for telecom services in Gujarat may help telecom players discard the weak economic cues on the national and global front.Gujarat leads growth in revenue as compared to other states that fall into Circle A.
For Q1 of FY2013-14,Gujarat has posted a revenue growth rate of 10.29% while Maharashtra has posted 6.04%,Andhra Pradesh has reported 5.29%,Karnataka registered 10.16% and Tamil Nadu witnessed a growth rate of 9.79% for the period under review.
Telcos have posted revenues of Rs 2,350.86 crore in Q1 of 2013-14 as against Rs 2,131.43 crore in the corresponding period last year,a rise of 10.13%.
Telcos seem to have absorbed the shocks of the financial crunch and bounced back with more power this year.Telecom companies in Gujarat had posted only a 3.57% rise in gross revenue in Q1 of 2012-13 as compared to Q1 of 2011-12.
Call rates have increased,discounts have been rolled back and only some new players are offering extra talk time now.As a lot of telecom players had to shut down operations in some states and circles and are preparing to get new licenses.All these factors may have pushed them to expand in and focus on states like Gujarat that are fetching them better revenues, a telecom player said.
Gujarat has also added an impressive amount of new customers in the review period.Over the past few years,Gujarat has witnessed a significant growth in both 2G and 3G services usage, said Brajesh Bajpai, Business Head-Gujarat,Vodafone India.
Overall,Gujarats telecom story has undergone a sea change in the last five years with telecom companies in the state posting 77% growth in gross revenues in the past five years.
Sunday, October 06, 2013
Garba venues escape slump wrath in Ahmedabad
From DNA
Scared of negative sentiment, slowdown and inclement weather, Navratri organisers were almost down and out. Suddenly, telecom companies, which had been silent on this nine-day festival for the last two years, stepped up as saviour for the organisers of garba nights beginning Saturday.
Since 2008, the garba organisers have been complaining of difficulties in getting sponsorships.
But, every year, they somehow managed to get sponsorships either through branding or barter system. This year, too, the trend is pretty much the same.
“Like every year, even this year, it was difficult for us to attract sponsors till Saturday,” said Jaydeep Mehta, director of True Events. “After two years, the telecom is back again. Not only the telecom operators. Even the mobile phone companies have shown interest. Not the big companies, the domestic brands,” he said.
Every year, the garba organisers keep two associate sponsors and four co-sponsors, said Mehta.
“Owing to the slowdown, the sponsors have slashed their budget. In that case, we have got four associate sponsors and eight co-sponsor instead of two. This fulfils our motive,” he said.
Companies have budgets earmarked for events. But they want to get maximum mileage out of it, said Arvind Singh, the business head of Expertz. While Shiv Corporation is organising garba nights at Rajpath Club, Expertz is conceptualising them.
“Our cost of organising such events has increased with revenue being 50% of the total cost.
Suddenly, telecom has become the saviour. Now, we hope not to incur losses this year,” said Singh.
The telecom sector has increased its scale of spending this year compared to the previous year, said Brajesh Bajpai, the Gujarat business head of Vodafone.
“Navratri is an important festival for us as part of our marketing and customer engagement activities. Being the undisputed market leader in Gujarat, we constantly aim to stay connected with our large customer base in Gujarat and this Navratri, too, we have allocated strong resources for the event. Our scale of activity is actually much larger and wider than last year whereas the budget allocation is similar to last year,” said Bajpai.
The unexpected rain has also played spoilsport. “A few clients even backed out last week.
Probably in the name of rain, they withdrew their sponsorships. So, we had to manage sponsorships from other groups and companies. And, with the budget having shrunk, we will have to rely more on the sale of tickets instead of bartering of tickets,” said Meghal Shah, a garba organiser and event manager in Ahmedabad.
According to Shah, sponsorship from automobile, finance and education sectors has been minimal. “For automobile, it is like recession. While educational institutes crib about the fall in number of students, finance sector believes that garba events are just not their cup of tea. In such a situation, food and beverages and telecom have helped garba organisers to a great extent,” he said.
Every year, organisers face difficulty in attracting sponsors for the nine-night event, said Anand Doshi, director of Sharda Communications. “With the grace of god, event management companies organise the event. Like every year, it was very difficult to raise money this year, too. But we do it by hook or by crook,” asserted Doshi.
Scared of negative sentiment, slowdown and inclement weather, Navratri organisers were almost down and out. Suddenly, telecom companies, which had been silent on this nine-day festival for the last two years, stepped up as saviour for the organisers of garba nights beginning Saturday.
Since 2008, the garba organisers have been complaining of difficulties in getting sponsorships.
But, every year, they somehow managed to get sponsorships either through branding or barter system. This year, too, the trend is pretty much the same.
“Like every year, even this year, it was difficult for us to attract sponsors till Saturday,” said Jaydeep Mehta, director of True Events. “After two years, the telecom is back again. Not only the telecom operators. Even the mobile phone companies have shown interest. Not the big companies, the domestic brands,” he said.
Every year, the garba organisers keep two associate sponsors and four co-sponsors, said Mehta.
“Owing to the slowdown, the sponsors have slashed their budget. In that case, we have got four associate sponsors and eight co-sponsor instead of two. This fulfils our motive,” he said.
Companies have budgets earmarked for events. But they want to get maximum mileage out of it, said Arvind Singh, the business head of Expertz. While Shiv Corporation is organising garba nights at Rajpath Club, Expertz is conceptualising them.
“Our cost of organising such events has increased with revenue being 50% of the total cost.
Suddenly, telecom has become the saviour. Now, we hope not to incur losses this year,” said Singh.
The telecom sector has increased its scale of spending this year compared to the previous year, said Brajesh Bajpai, the Gujarat business head of Vodafone.
“Navratri is an important festival for us as part of our marketing and customer engagement activities. Being the undisputed market leader in Gujarat, we constantly aim to stay connected with our large customer base in Gujarat and this Navratri, too, we have allocated strong resources for the event. Our scale of activity is actually much larger and wider than last year whereas the budget allocation is similar to last year,” said Bajpai.
The unexpected rain has also played spoilsport. “A few clients even backed out last week.
Probably in the name of rain, they withdrew their sponsorships. So, we had to manage sponsorships from other groups and companies. And, with the budget having shrunk, we will have to rely more on the sale of tickets instead of bartering of tickets,” said Meghal Shah, a garba organiser and event manager in Ahmedabad.
According to Shah, sponsorship from automobile, finance and education sectors has been minimal. “For automobile, it is like recession. While educational institutes crib about the fall in number of students, finance sector believes that garba events are just not their cup of tea. In such a situation, food and beverages and telecom have helped garba organisers to a great extent,” he said.
Every year, organisers face difficulty in attracting sponsors for the nine-night event, said Anand Doshi, director of Sharda Communications. “With the grace of god, event management companies organise the event. Like every year, it was very difficult to raise money this year, too. But we do it by hook or by crook,” asserted Doshi.
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Drive For a Cause
From Times of India
DRIVE FOR A CAUSE
A bike and car rally held recently, created a buzz in Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad,a city infamous for its rash traffic sense needs to get its road safety basics right! In order to promote road safety,Vodafone India,Gujarat's largest telecommunications company endeavoured to promote responsible mobility through a large scale bike and car rally.The rally sought to educate citizens about the importance of wearing helmets on two wheelers and fastening seatbelts in four wheelers and kick-started the weeklong drive Road Safety Awareness Drive between July 20-26.
The rally was flagged off by Brajesh Bajpai, Business Head, Gujarat -Vodafone India and Sanjay Shrivastav,joint commissioner,police (traffic),Ahmedabad City along with Dinesh Parmar,(deputy commissioner,police,traffic,Ahmedabad City.A posse of around 200 bike riders and car drivers participated in the rally,as a demonstration of their support to Vodafones campaign for road safety promotion.The rally commenced from Ahmedabad Management Association (AMA) and went through Panjarapol,Gujarat University,CEPT,Commerce Six Road,Ishwar Bhuwan,Sardar Patel Statue,Usmanpura Under bridge,Vadaj,Usmanpura,Income Tax,Butasingh Circle,Navrangpura Cross Road,Commerce Six Road,CEPT,L.D Engineering College and concluded at AMA.
According to Brajesh Bajpai,Vodafone India, as a value based organisation, is passionate about people and is committed to achieving the highest standards in health,safety and well-being for all.We endeavour to promote these virtues within communities,to ensure a safe working environment.An alarming rise in deaths due to road accidents has highlighted the need for disciplined driving and stringent adherence to traffic rules.Vodafone takes this opportunity to urge citizens of Ahmedabad and those traveling to the city,to follow traffic rules and remain safe with your loved ones.
Brajesh Bajpai, Business Head - Gujarat, Vodafone India, Ranjan Mishra,AVP-HR,Gujarat,Vodafone India,Dinesh Parmar,Deputy commissioner of Police (Traffic),Ahmedabad City and Sanjay Shrivastav,Joint commissioner of Police (Traffic),Ahmedabad City flagging off the rally
Enthusiasts participating in the rally
DRIVE FOR A CAUSE
A bike and car rally held recently, created a buzz in Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad,a city infamous for its rash traffic sense needs to get its road safety basics right! In order to promote road safety,Vodafone India,Gujarat's largest telecommunications company endeavoured to promote responsible mobility through a large scale bike and car rally.The rally sought to educate citizens about the importance of wearing helmets on two wheelers and fastening seatbelts in four wheelers and kick-started the weeklong drive Road Safety Awareness Drive between July 20-26.
The rally was flagged off by Brajesh Bajpai, Business Head, Gujarat -Vodafone India and Sanjay Shrivastav,joint commissioner,police (traffic),Ahmedabad City along with Dinesh Parmar,(deputy commissioner,police,traffic,Ahmedabad City.A posse of around 200 bike riders and car drivers participated in the rally,as a demonstration of their support to Vodafones campaign for road safety promotion.The rally commenced from Ahmedabad Management Association (AMA) and went through Panjarapol,Gujarat University,CEPT,Commerce Six Road,Ishwar Bhuwan,Sardar Patel Statue,Usmanpura Under bridge,Vadaj,Usmanpura,Income Tax,Butasingh Circle,Navrangpura Cross Road,Commerce Six Road,CEPT,L.D Engineering College and concluded at AMA.
According to Brajesh Bajpai,Vodafone India, as a value based organisation, is passionate about people and is committed to achieving the highest standards in health,safety and well-being for all.We endeavour to promote these virtues within communities,to ensure a safe working environment.An alarming rise in deaths due to road accidents has highlighted the need for disciplined driving and stringent adherence to traffic rules.Vodafone takes this opportunity to urge citizens of Ahmedabad and those traveling to the city,to follow traffic rules and remain safe with your loved ones.
Brajesh Bajpai, Business Head - Gujarat, Vodafone India, Ranjan Mishra,AVP-HR,Gujarat,Vodafone India,Dinesh Parmar,Deputy commissioner of Police (Traffic),Ahmedabad City and Sanjay Shrivastav,Joint commissioner of Police (Traffic),Ahmedabad City flagging off the rally
Enthusiasts participating in the rally
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Road Safety Awareness Rally in Ahmedabad
From Western Times,
21, July 2013, Page 4
WESTERN TIMES AHMEDABAD
SUNDAY, JULY 21, 2013
The Road Safety Awareness Rally was organised by Vodafone India in association with Ahmedabad Traffic Police to impart awareness about road safety and following traffic rules. Mr. Sanjay Shrivastav, Joint Commissioner of Police - Traffic, Ahmedabad City along with Mr. Dinesh Parmar, Deputy Commissioner of Police – Traffic, Ahmedabad City and Mr. Brajesh Bajpai, Business Head – Gujarat, Vodafone flagged off the rally.
21, July 2013, Page 4
WESTERN TIMES AHMEDABAD
SUNDAY, JULY 21, 2013
The Road Safety Awareness Rally was organised by Vodafone India in association with Ahmedabad Traffic Police to impart awareness about road safety and following traffic rules. Mr. Sanjay Shrivastav, Joint Commissioner of Police - Traffic, Ahmedabad City along with Mr. Dinesh Parmar, Deputy Commissioner of Police – Traffic, Ahmedabad City and Mr. Brajesh Bajpai, Business Head – Gujarat, Vodafone flagged off the rally.
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Rally for road safety in the city
From Times of India
AHMEDABAD: A private mobile service provider has teamed up with the city traffic police to create awareness about road safety.
The company employees, along with traffic personnel, will conduct a bike rally on Saturday. The Road Safety Awareness Drive to promote responsible mobility will begin near Ahmedabad Management Association.
The drive will be initiated by Brajesh Bajpai of Vodafone India along with Sanjay Shrivastav, joint commissioner of police, and Dinesh Parmar, deputy commissioner of police (traffic). The rally will start at 11.15am and will cover areas like Panjrapol, University crossroads, Commerce six roads, Ashram Road and Navrangpura.
The officials stated that the week-long event will be take place at important crossroads where commuters will be educated in traffic rules. Meanwhile, the new civic centres built in north, central and east zones will be dedicated to public on July 23 by AMC. The lokarpan of the centres will be done by mayor Meenaxi Patel. The new centres have been built in Odhav, Badia and Asarwa wards. Kirit Solanki, MP from Ahmedabad west and Harin Pathak, MP from Ahmedabad east will be the chief guest.
AHMEDABAD: A private mobile service provider has teamed up with the city traffic police to create awareness about road safety.
The company employees, along with traffic personnel, will conduct a bike rally on Saturday. The Road Safety Awareness Drive to promote responsible mobility will begin near Ahmedabad Management Association.
The drive will be initiated by Brajesh Bajpai of Vodafone India along with Sanjay Shrivastav, joint commissioner of police, and Dinesh Parmar, deputy commissioner of police (traffic). The rally will start at 11.15am and will cover areas like Panjrapol, University crossroads, Commerce six roads, Ashram Road and Navrangpura.
The officials stated that the week-long event will be take place at important crossroads where commuters will be educated in traffic rules. Meanwhile, the new civic centres built in north, central and east zones will be dedicated to public on July 23 by AMC. The lokarpan of the centres will be done by mayor Meenaxi Patel. The new centres have been built in Odhav, Badia and Asarwa wards. Kirit Solanki, MP from Ahmedabad west and Harin Pathak, MP from Ahmedabad east will be the chief guest.
Tuesday, July 09, 2013
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Vodafone for Gujarat, Gujarat for Vodafone: Brajesh Bajpai, Business Head, Gujarat, Vodafone India
From Viewpoint
The Indian telecom market is amongst the most competitive and fastest growing in the world. Mobile telephony, which was introduced in the country only in 1995, has taken giant strides in terms of network coverage and subscriber numbers. In this sixteen year period, India has become the world’s second largest mobile telecommunications market, with a mobile subscriber base of 861.7 million customers.
In 1996, tariffs were very high, with outgoing calls priced at Rs 12 per minute and incoming calls priced at Rs 8 per minute.
It was a time when mobile phones were considered a status symbol and a prerogative of a select few customers. Today, call rates are Re 0.20 per second for outgoing calls and all incoming calls are free. This clearly reflects the huge transformation that the industry has undergone, from being a seller’s market to one that is wholly focused upon and driven by the customer.
In this context, Gujarat certainly has a crème customer profile. The state of Gujarat accounts for 5 per cent of the country’s population, but contributes to 35 per cent of India’s stock market wealth!
Vodafone India commenced operations in the Gujarat telecom space in 1996, under Cell Force brand. We are currently present in over 16,700 towns in the state, with over 16 million mobile subscribers. Cell Force went on to become Hutch and Hutch got acquired by Vodafone. Since 2005, when Vodafone took over Hutch, the company has added significantly to its subscriber base. The Gujarat telecom space currently contributes to close to 4 per cent to the company’s overall operations.
Vodafone in Gujarat
Gujarat became the first of the company’s circles to cross 1.5 million subscribers in 2012. Over the past five years, we have witnessed growth of almost 195 per cent in the state, with an addition of over 10,630,000 subscribers. The company has a network of six zonal offices in Ahmedabad, Baroda, Rajkot, Surat, Mehsana and Gandhidham and branch offices in Godhra, Vapi, Bhavnagar, Junagadh and Jamnagar.
Vodafone India has also witnessed the highest number of port-in customers through the Mobile Number Portability facility launched by the Department of Telecommunications. With almost 4,35,000 mobile customers switching over to Vodafone in the state, Gujarat along with Karnataka and Maharashtra, accounts for 40 per cent of net port-in figures for the company. In Gujarat, Vodafone’s urban- rural retail presence stands at 1:4 per cent.
Moreover, the operator has launched several sales and marketing initiatives in the state. Vodafone India has over 113,700 retail outlets across the state and its “HarGaon, HamaraGaon”, campaign, initiated in 2006, highlighted its plan to establish its presence in every town and village with a population of over 1,000.
Another interesting initiative is the launch of the Angel Stores in Ahmedabad and Vadodara. These stores are run by women employees, with the twin objectives of providing a secure environment for female employees and customers.
Vistaar: Widening the lead
In 2011, Vodafone India launched the Vistaar scheme to expand its rural distribution base, by enhancing the reach of its network, retail outlets and service points.
Going forward, the operator will focus on widening the scope and reach of its 3G and value added services portfolios.
The Indian telecom market is amongst the most competitive and fastest growing in the world. Mobile telephony, which was introduced in the country only in 1995, has taken giant strides in terms of network coverage and subscriber numbers. In this sixteen year period, India has become the world’s second largest mobile telecommunications market, with a mobile subscriber base of 861.7 million customers.
In 1996, tariffs were very high, with outgoing calls priced at Rs 12 per minute and incoming calls priced at Rs 8 per minute.
It was a time when mobile phones were considered a status symbol and a prerogative of a select few customers. Today, call rates are Re 0.20 per second for outgoing calls and all incoming calls are free. This clearly reflects the huge transformation that the industry has undergone, from being a seller’s market to one that is wholly focused upon and driven by the customer.
In this context, Gujarat certainly has a crème customer profile. The state of Gujarat accounts for 5 per cent of the country’s population, but contributes to 35 per cent of India’s stock market wealth!
Vodafone India commenced operations in the Gujarat telecom space in 1996, under Cell Force brand. We are currently present in over 16,700 towns in the state, with over 16 million mobile subscribers. Cell Force went on to become Hutch and Hutch got acquired by Vodafone. Since 2005, when Vodafone took over Hutch, the company has added significantly to its subscriber base. The Gujarat telecom space currently contributes to close to 4 per cent to the company’s overall operations.
Vodafone in Gujarat
Gujarat became the first of the company’s circles to cross 1.5 million subscribers in 2012. Over the past five years, we have witnessed growth of almost 195 per cent in the state, with an addition of over 10,630,000 subscribers. The company has a network of six zonal offices in Ahmedabad, Baroda, Rajkot, Surat, Mehsana and Gandhidham and branch offices in Godhra, Vapi, Bhavnagar, Junagadh and Jamnagar.
Vodafone India has also witnessed the highest number of port-in customers through the Mobile Number Portability facility launched by the Department of Telecommunications. With almost 4,35,000 mobile customers switching over to Vodafone in the state, Gujarat along with Karnataka and Maharashtra, accounts for 40 per cent of net port-in figures for the company. In Gujarat, Vodafone’s urban- rural retail presence stands at 1:4 per cent.
Moreover, the operator has launched several sales and marketing initiatives in the state. Vodafone India has over 113,700 retail outlets across the state and its “HarGaon, HamaraGaon”, campaign, initiated in 2006, highlighted its plan to establish its presence in every town and village with a population of over 1,000.
Another interesting initiative is the launch of the Angel Stores in Ahmedabad and Vadodara. These stores are run by women employees, with the twin objectives of providing a secure environment for female employees and customers.
Vistaar: Widening the lead
In 2011, Vodafone India launched the Vistaar scheme to expand its rural distribution base, by enhancing the reach of its network, retail outlets and service points.
Going forward, the operator will focus on widening the scope and reach of its 3G and value added services portfolios.
Friday, May 03, 2013
Gujaratis Thrifty no more when Spending on Calls
From The Times of India
AHMEDABAD: Gujaratis, who were called thrifty by the telecom industry when they made the most missed calls in the country in 2006, now actively spend more on mobile phones.
However, Gujarat's telecom story has undergone a sea change in the last five years with telecom companies in the state posting 77% growth in gross revenues in the past five years.
As per data available with Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the gross revenue of six telecom players as on 31st December 2007 was Rs 4727.53 crore. As on 31st December 2012, the gross revenue of nine telecom companies in Gujarat stood at Rs 8413.15 crore, which means telecom companies in Gujarat have registered a growth of 77% in gross revenue in the past five years.
The subscriber base has increased by 320.41% in the last five years in the state. As on 31st December 2007, Gujarat had 11959678 mobile subscribers, which rose to 50280123 as on December 2012.
Brajesh Bajpai, business head (Gujarat) at Vodafone, said, "Gujarat is the largest circle for us after Mumbai and Delhi. There are several initiatives that we have taken in Gujarat and implemented nationally. There is also a renewed interest in postpaid connections in the state." Gujarat contributes almost 10% to Vodafone India's revenues.
Overall, India's western region is considered economically advanced as compared to other regions of the country, thus offering major opportunities for telecom operators. Companies are churning out customized offers for their subscribers in Gujarat, which also saw the most activity when mobile number portability was introduced.
In Gujarat, for the past five calendar years, telecom companies have paid a total of Rs 2831.81 crore as license fee, which is 10% of adjusted gross revenue.
Telecom players also attribute the growth in revenue to tremendous competition. "The success of telecom in Gujarat is in fact proof of the fact that the people of Gujarat demand value. What has changed in the past few years is that for the first time, there is a value being offered in the market. Competition has ensured affordable tariffs, increased retail spread as operators go deeper and wider into the territory and also more active communication of competing products and services," said Jinesh Hegde, circle business head (Gujarat) for Uninor.
AHMEDABAD: Gujaratis, who were called thrifty by the telecom industry when they made the most missed calls in the country in 2006, now actively spend more on mobile phones.
However, Gujarat's telecom story has undergone a sea change in the last five years with telecom companies in the state posting 77% growth in gross revenues in the past five years.
As per data available with Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the gross revenue of six telecom players as on 31st December 2007 was Rs 4727.53 crore. As on 31st December 2012, the gross revenue of nine telecom companies in Gujarat stood at Rs 8413.15 crore, which means telecom companies in Gujarat have registered a growth of 77% in gross revenue in the past five years.
The subscriber base has increased by 320.41% in the last five years in the state. As on 31st December 2007, Gujarat had 11959678 mobile subscribers, which rose to 50280123 as on December 2012.
Brajesh Bajpai, business head (Gujarat) at Vodafone, said, "Gujarat is the largest circle for us after Mumbai and Delhi. There are several initiatives that we have taken in Gujarat and implemented nationally. There is also a renewed interest in postpaid connections in the state." Gujarat contributes almost 10% to Vodafone India's revenues.
Overall, India's western region is considered economically advanced as compared to other regions of the country, thus offering major opportunities for telecom operators. Companies are churning out customized offers for their subscribers in Gujarat, which also saw the most activity when mobile number portability was introduced.
In Gujarat, for the past five calendar years, telecom companies have paid a total of Rs 2831.81 crore as license fee, which is 10% of adjusted gross revenue.
Telecom players also attribute the growth in revenue to tremendous competition. "The success of telecom in Gujarat is in fact proof of the fact that the people of Gujarat demand value. What has changed in the past few years is that for the first time, there is a value being offered in the market. Competition has ensured affordable tariffs, increased retail spread as operators go deeper and wider into the territory and also more active communication of competing products and services," said Jinesh Hegde, circle business head (Gujarat) for Uninor.
Telcos Woo Rural Gujarat with Exclusive Business Models
From the Times of India
AHMEDABAD:
Telecom companies are aggressively tapping Gujarat's rural market-which has 35.6 lakh houses using cellphones as compared to 35.7 lakh urban houses.
The erstwhile price-sensitive rural customer is now looking at convenience over anything else. In a survey by Vodafone in rural Gujarat, findings suggest that recharge availability tops the priority followed by good network. Price only comes later. "In Gujarat, over 55 per cent of Vodafone's subscriber base comes from rural areas so we have allotted 70 per cent of our budget for rural areas in the state unlike other states where urban areas are given higher budget," said Brajesh Bajpai, chief operating officer, Vodafone West.
Vodafone has seen 12 per cent 12% year-on-year growth with gross revenues of Rs 3,100 crore in Gujarat. The company's market share in the state is 37.1 per cent. The company has a business model unique to Gujarat-Vistaar-which has been taken from the state and implemented nationally. The model has ensured that the sales force is different for rural and urban customers. Vodafone has set up over 800 'laal dukaan' or red shops in villages in Gujarat to help villagers spot recharge outlets.
"The rural sales force is trained in simple communication and to provide basic education of services whereas the urban sales force is taught to be more competitive and get market share," said Bajpai. Among other things, rural Gujaratis mostly use services like downloading music, checking weather, for emails and using social networking sites on their 2G handsets.
AHMEDABAD:
Telecom companies are aggressively tapping Gujarat's rural market-which has 35.6 lakh houses using cellphones as compared to 35.7 lakh urban houses.
The erstwhile price-sensitive rural customer is now looking at convenience over anything else. In a survey by Vodafone in rural Gujarat, findings suggest that recharge availability tops the priority followed by good network. Price only comes later. "In Gujarat, over 55 per cent of Vodafone's subscriber base comes from rural areas so we have allotted 70 per cent of our budget for rural areas in the state unlike other states where urban areas are given higher budget," said Brajesh Bajpai, chief operating officer, Vodafone West.
Vodafone has seen 12 per cent 12% year-on-year growth with gross revenues of Rs 3,100 crore in Gujarat. The company's market share in the state is 37.1 per cent. The company has a business model unique to Gujarat-Vistaar-which has been taken from the state and implemented nationally. The model has ensured that the sales force is different for rural and urban customers. Vodafone has set up over 800 'laal dukaan' or red shops in villages in Gujarat to help villagers spot recharge outlets.
"The rural sales force is trained in simple communication and to provide basic education of services whereas the urban sales force is taught to be more competitive and get market share," said Bajpai. Among other things, rural Gujaratis mostly use services like downloading music, checking weather, for emails and using social networking sites on their 2G handsets.
Thursday, April 04, 2013
Divya Bhaskar - Inflation to hit telecom industry, tariff likely to go up
From Divya Bhaskar
Translation:
Translation:
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Inflation to hit telecom industry, tariff likely to go up
Birju Shah, Ahmedabad
Rising inflation is
taking a toll on telecom industry. It would not be surprising if call
tariffs witness a hike in near future, as telcos are fighting against
increasing input costs. Now telcos are compelled
to cut cost and also they have zeroed down on slashing discounts too.
However, on the other hand, in order to propel the momentum in mobile
telephony, Vodafone has in fact reduced price of data services from
10p/kb to 2p/kb, which is 80% reduction. In Gujarat
3G subscribers have steeply increased and around 1 lakh blackberry
subscribers are using this service.
According to Brajesh
Bajpai, CEO, Vodafone West Ltd (Gujarat Circle),due to rising inflation
chances of further cut in tariff is very faint. Moreover, smaller
player, who ignited a price war to tap more market
share, are now out and in current financial year the spectrum cost too
will be a key factor on input cost front. So, therefore, a price rise is
obvious. Interestingly, in order to combat the increasing cost, now
customized discount offers are born and through
which customers can use mobile services as per their needs. Since last
15 years mobile telecom industry has seen a price cut which is now going
to vanish.
Though Q4 of 2012-13
is reasonably good, there are several challenges for telecos. In
Gujarat, Vodafone has 1.60 crore subscribers and the daily usage stands
at 21 crore minutes. With its wider and deeper
network, Vodafone covers 97.4% of total population of Gujarat. Vodafone
has over 7000 towers in Gujarat and it continues to weighs more on
network expansion along with service quality.
4G’s success depends on handsets
“There is much gaga
over 4G since a long but the success of 4G is heavily depended on the
availability of 4G handsets. There are many things to be clarified
regarding 4G. The arrival of 4G will certainly boost
3G also.”- Mr. Bajpai
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Sunday, March 17, 2013
Saturday, March 16, 2013
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