Popularly know as AIRTEL, Bharti Airtel was also known as Bharti Tele- ventures Limited (BTVL). One of India’s largest mobile phone and fixed network operators, it has more than 50 million subscribers (as on 10/01/2007). Headed by Mr. Sunil Mittal, India’s sixth richest man (total worth US$27 billion), it is one of the world’s fastest growing telecom companies. It is the only GSM operator providing mobile services in all the 23 circles in India. It also provides telephone services and Internet access over DSL in 14 circles complementing its mobile, broadband & telephone services with national and international long distance calls.

Airtel has a submarine cable landing station at Chennai connecting the submarine cable connecting Chennai and Singapore. The company provides reliable end-to-end data and enterprise services to the corporate customers by leveraging its nationwide fiber optic backbone, last mile connectivity in fixed-line and mobile circles, VSATs, ISP and international bandwidth access through the gateways and landing station. It is the largest mobile service provider, with BSNL, the state run mobile and wireline service provided as the market leader when compared on the basis of customer base.

Vodafone and SingTel hold partial stakes in Bharti Airtel. On February 12, 2007 Vodafone sold its 5.6% stake in AirTel back to Airtel for US $1.6 billion; and purchased a controlling stake in rival Hutchison Essar. Recently Sunil Bharti’s Airtel launched its calling card in America specially for the NRI (Non-resident Indians) and people calling from America to India at a cheaper rate as compared to the tariff offered by other providers. In its monthly press release, following statistics have been presented for end of April 2007.

• Bharti Airtel added the highest ever net addition of 53 lakh customers in a single quarter (Q4-FY0607) and also the highest ever net addition of 1.8 crore total subscribers in 2006-07
• The company will invest up to $3.5 billion this fiscal (07-08) in network expansion.
• It has an installed base of 40,000 cellsites and 59% population coverage
• After the proposed network expansion, an additional 30,000 towers will result in the company achieving 70% population coverage
• Bharti has over 39 million users as on March 31, 2007
• It has set a target of 125 million subscribers by 2010
• Prepaid customers account for 88.5% of Bharti’s total subscriber base, an increase from 82.7% a year ago
• ARPU has dropped to Rs 406
• Non-voice revenues, (SMS, voice mail, call management, hello tunes and Airtel Live) constituted 10% of total revenues during Q4, lower than 10.7% in the Q4 of the previous year
• Blended monthly minutes of usage per customer in Q4 was at 475 minutes
• Has completed 100% verification of its subscribers and in the process disconnected three lakh subscribers.

Mr. Sunil Mittal

Telecom giant Bharti Airtel is the flagship company of Bharti Enterprises. The Bharti Group has a diverse business portfolio and has created global brands in the telecommunication sector. Bharti has recently forayed into retail business as Bharti Retail Pvt. Ltd. under a MoU with Wal-Mart for the cash & carry business. It has successfully launched an international venture with EL Rothschild Group to export fresh agri products exclusively to markets in Europe and USA and has launched Bharti AXA Life Insurance Company Ltd under a joint venture with AXA, world leader in financial protection and wealth management.

Bharti Enterprises - Organization Structure

The businesses at Bharti Airtel have been structured into three individual strategic business units (SBU’s) - mobile services, broadband & telephone services (B&T) & enterprise services. The mobile business provides mobile & fixed wireless services using GSM technology across 23 telecom circles while the B&T business offers broadband & telephone services in 94 cities. The Enterprise services provide end-to-end telecom solutions to corporate customers and national & international long distance services to carriers. All these services are provided under the Airtel brand.

Awards and recognition

• The Forbes Global 2000 list for the year 2007 ranked Bharti at 1149. 

For the Year 2007 - 2008

• Airtel Bharti draws top honours at the NDTV Profit Business Leadership Awards 2007
• Bharti Airtel Ranked 3rd on Shareholder Returns in Business Week IT 100 List

For the Year 2006 – 2007

• Airtel Bharti draws top honours at the NDTV Profit Business Leadership Awards 2007
• Bharti Airtel awarded the prestigious QCI-DL Shah Award on Economics of Quality
• Sunil B. Mittal chosen for this year’s Padma Bhushan Awards
• Bharti Airtel is once again chosen for India’s most Customer Responsive Telecom Company Award
• Bharti Airtel is amongst India’s Most Admired Knowledge Enterprises in 2006
• Sunil Bharti Mittal receives ‘The Honorary Fellowship’ from IETE
• Bharti Airtel draws Top Honors at the MIS Asia IT Excellence Awards 2006
• Bharti Airtel among the top 10 best performing companies in the world according to Business Week IT 100 list
• Sunil Bharti Mittal is ‘CEO of the Year’ at the Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific ICT Awards 2006 & Bharti Airtel bags ‘Wireless Service Provider of the Year’ and ‘Competitive Service Provider of the Year’