LizetteGoble: further correct structure as per guidelines also and cleaned formatting

2026-01-17T16:21:37Z

further correct structure as per guidelines also and cleaned formatting

2001:4998:EFFD:7F06:0:0:0:10DE: Fix people list on infobox

2021-07-07T16:17:18Z

Fix people list on infobox

New page

{{short description|Former Indian telecommunications company}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2016}}

{{Infobox company
| name = Idea Cellular Limited
| logo = Idea Cellular Ltd.svg
| logo_size = 150px
| image =
| type = [[Public company|Public]]
| traded_as = {{Unbulleted list|{{BSE|532822}}|{{NSE|IDEA}}}}
| fate = Merged with [[Vodafone India]]
| successor = [[Vodafone Idea|Vodafone Idea Limited]]<ref name="NCLT nod" />
| key_people = {{Plainlist|
*[[Kumar Mangalam Birla]] {{Small|(Chairman)}}
* Himanshu Kapania {{Small|(Managing Director)}}
}}
| industry = [[Telecommunications]]
| products = [[Mobile telephony]], [[wireless broadband]]
| revenue = {{loss}} {{INRConvert|35475.7|c}} (2016)<ref name="Vodafone Idea 2016">{{cite web |url=http://profit.ndtv.com/stock/idea-cellular-ltd_idea/financials-yearly |title=Consolidated Result 2016-17}}</ref>
| operating_income = {{loss}} {{INRConvert|10291.9|c}} (2016)<ref name="Vodafone Idea 2016" />
| net_income = {{loss}} {{INRConvert|-831.1|c}} (2016)<ref name="Vodafone Idea 2016" />
| members = 220.00 million
| members_year = June 2018
| parent = [[Aditya Birla Group]]
| founded = {{Start date and age|1995}}
| defunct = {{End date and age|df=yes|2018|08|31}}
| location = [[Gandhinagar]], [[Gujarat]], India<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ideacellular123.com/IDEA.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=IDEA_Page_IVContact |title=Idea Cellular – Cell Phone Services |access-date=28 June 2012 }}{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
| homepage = {{URL|http://www.ideacellular.com/}}
}}

'''Idea Cellular Limited'''<ref>{{cite web |title=Idea Cellular Limited: Private Company Information |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=8536912 |website=[[bloomberg.com]] |access-date=3 August 2018}}</ref>
(commonly referred to as '''Idea''', and stylised as '''''!dea''''') was an Indian [[mobile network operator]] based at [[Mumbai]], [[Maharashtra]]. Idea was a pan-India integrated GSM operator and had 220.00 million subscribers as of June 2018.<ref name="Dec17">{{cite web|url=http://www.trai.gov.in/sites/default/files/PR_No.23_TSD_Eng_16022018.pdf|title=Press Release No. 23/2018|date=16 February 2018|publisher=[[Telecom Regulatory Authority of India]]|access-date=20 February 2018}}</ref> Idea Cellular merged with [[Vodafone India]] and now both companies called [[Vodafone Idea]]. <ref name="VI">{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/telecom/telecom-news/idea-vodafone-say-merger-complete-now-indias-largest-telco-with-408-million-active-users/articleshow/65619297.cms?from=mdr|date=31 August 2018|title=Idea-Vodafone say merger complete, now India's largest telco with 408 million active users|website=Indiatimes}}</ref>

==History==
Idea Cellular was incorporated as Birla Communications Limited in 1995 after GSM licenses were won in Gujarat and Maharashtra circles. The company name was changed to Idea Cellular and the brand '''Idea''' was introduced in 2002 after a series of name changes following mergers and joint ventures with [[Grasim Industries]], [[AT&T Corporation]] and [[Tata Group]].<ref>http://www.ideacellular.com/aboutus/history</ref> Following the exit of AT&T Corporation and Tata Group from the joint venture in 2004 and 2006 respectively, Idea Cellular became a subsidiary of [[Aditya Birla Group]].<ref>{{cite web | title=Cingular Allows Agreement to Sell Stake in Indian Wireless Service Provider to Expire | website=U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission | url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1130452/000095014405006486/g95844exv99w1.htm | access-date=2015-06-07}}</ref> Malaysia based [[Axiata Group Berhad|Axiata]] had bought around 20% stake in the company in 2008 for US$2 billion.<ref>{{Cite news |last=www.ETTelecom.com |title=Malaysian Telco Axiata may soon exit Vodafone Idea as stock continues its slide - ET Telecom |language=en |url=https://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/malaysian-telco-axiata-may-soon-exit-vodafone-idea-as-stock-continues-its-slide/74367060 |access-date=2020-06-14}}</ref>

Idea previously bought a 40.8% stake in Spice Communications Ltd, operating as '''Spice Telecom''', for over {{INR}}2,700 crore.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/spice-telecom-buy-to-leave-idea-cellular-richer/story-4rnJnPMlFa4EiXEUsLswhP.html |title=Spice Telecom buy to leave Idea Cellular richer |last=Kumar|first=Arun|date=2008-06-30|publisher=Hindustan Times|access-date=2020-12-21}}</ref>

===Merger of Vodafone and Idea (Vi)===

The entry of [[Jio]] in 2016 had led to various [[List_of_telecom_companies_in_India#Defunct_operators|mergers and consolidations]] in the Indian telecom sector.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.livemint.com/Industry/rws5uR2FeOti3o3nU7AirL/The-shakeup-in-Indias-telecom-sector.html|title=The shakeup in India’s telecom sector|last=Raj|first=Amrit|date=2017-10-21|work=www.livemint.com|access-date=2018-04-21}}</ref> It was announced in March 2017 that even Idea Cellular and [[Vodafone India]] would be merged. The merger got approval from Department Of Telecommunications in July 2018. On August 30, 2018, [[National Company Law Tribunal]] gave the final nod to the Vodafone-Idea merger <ref name="NCLT nod">{{Cite news |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/telecom/telecom-news/nclt-gives-go-ahead-to-idea-vodafone-merger/articleshow/65616161.cms |title=NCLT gives go-ahead to Idea-Vodafone merger |last1=Parbat |first1=Kalyan |date=2018-08-31 |work=The Economic Times |access-date=2018-09-01 |last2=Sengupta |first2=Devina}}</ref> The merger was completed on 31 August 2018, and the newly merged entity was named [[Vodafone Idea Limited]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Idea approves merger with Vodafone India, to create India's largest telco|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/companies-a-z/corporate-trends/idea-approves-merger-with-vodafone-india-to-create-indias-largest-telco/articleshow/57726194.cms|website=The Economic Times|access-date=20 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Kurup|first1=Rajesh|title=Idea Cellular board approves merger with Vodafone India; shares tank 9%|url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/info-tech/idea-cellular-board-approves-merger-with-vodafone-india/article9591707.ece|website=The Hindu Business Line|access-date=20 March 2017|language=en|date=20 March 2017}}</ref><ref name="BSE Disclosure">{{cite web |title=Disclosure under Regulation 30 of SEBI (LODR) Regulations, 2015 |url=https://www.bseindia.com/xml-data/corpfiling/AttachLive/30efb0f1-67b4-40d7-b7e8-d1c60104dd50.pdf |website=BSE |publisher=BSE |access-date=31 August 2018}}</ref> The merger created the largest telecom company in India by subscribers and by revenue. Under the terms of the deal, the Vodafone Group holds a 45.2% stake in the combined entity, the Aditya Birla Group holds 26% and the remaining shares will be held by the public.<ref name="BSE Disclosure" />

After merge, Vodafone and Idea became known as Vi. It was a biggest combination between two telecom companies in the world.

On 7 September 2020, [[Vodafone Idea]] unveiled this new brand identity, Vi, which involved the integration of the company's erstwhile separate brands Vodafone and Idea into one unified brand.

== Operations ==

In the 2010 3G [[spectrum auction]], Idea paid {{INRConvert|57.68|b}} for spectrum in 11 circles.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.medianama.com/2010/05/223-3g-auction-india-ends-provisional-winners/ |title=India’s 3G Auction Ends; Operator And Circle-Wise Results |first=Nikhil |last=Pahwa |work=[[MediaNama]] |date=19 May 2010}}</ref> After the launch of [[Mobile number portability|MNP]] in India, Idea further strengthened its customer base because it was the mobile network with most net port-ins.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/telecom/five-years-on-idea-vodafone-airtel-emerge-top-gainers-in-mnp-kotak/articleshow/51808066.cms|title=Five years on, Idea, Vodafone, Airtel emerge top gainers in MNP: Kotak|last=Abbas|first=Muntazir|date=2016-04-13|work=The Economic Times|access-date=2018-04-21}}</ref>

===Radio frequency summary===

Idea Cellular owned spectrum in 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz and 2500 MHz bands across the [[India|country]].<ref>{{citation |url=http://telecomtalk.info/india-spectrum-data-sheet/134245/|publisher=Telecom Talk|access-date=15 July 2018|title=Pan India 2016 spectrum holding data sheet (updated)}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|- style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;"
! scope="col" | [[Telecom circle]] coverage
! scope="col" | E-[[GSM]] 900[[Frequency|MHz]] [[GSM frequency bands|Band 8]]
! scope="col" | [[GSM]] / FD-[[LTE (telecommunication)|LTE]] 1800[[Frequency|MHz]] [[LTE frequency bands|Band 3]]
! scope="col" | [[UMTS]] 2100[[Frequency|MHz]] [[UMTS frequency bands|Band 1]]
! scope="col" | TD-[[LTE (telecommunication)|LTE]] 2300[[Frequency|MHz]] [[LTE frequency bands|Band 40]]
! scope="col" | TD-[[LTE (telecommunication)|LTE]] 2500[[Frequency|MHz]] [[LTE frequency bands|Band 41]]
|-
|[[Delhi]] || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{na|color=}} || {{ya|color=}}
|-
|[[Mumbai]] || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{na|color=}} || {{ya|color=}}
|-
|[[Kolkata]] || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{na|color=}} || {{ya|color=}}
|-
|[[Andhra Pradesh]] & [[Telangana]] || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{na|color=}} || {{ya|color=}}
|-
|[[Gujarat]] || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{na|color=}} || {{ya|color=}}
|-
|[[Karnataka]] || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{na|color=}} || {{na|color=}}
|-
|[[Maharashtra]] & [[Goa]] || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}}
|-
|[[Tamil Nadu]]|| {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{na|color=}} || {{na|color=}}
|-
|[[Haryana]] || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{na|color=}} || {{ya|color=}}
|-
|[[Kerala]] || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}}
|-
|[[Madhya Pradesh]] & [[Chhattisgarh]] || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}}
|-
|[[Punjab (India)|Punjab]] || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{na|color=}} || {{ya|color=}}
|-
|[[Rajasthan]] || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{na|color=}} || {{ya|color=}}
|-
|[[Eastern Uttar Pradesh|Uttar Pradesh (East)]]|| {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{na|color=}} || {{ya|color=}}
|-
|[[Western Uttar Pradesh|Uttar Pradesh (West)]] || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{na|color=}} || {{ya|color=}}
|-
|[[West Bengal]] || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{na|color=}} || {{ya|color=}}
|-
|[[Assam]] || {{na|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{na|color=}} || {{ya|color=}}
|-
|[[Bihar]] & [[Jharkhand]] || {{na|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{na|color=}} || {{ya|color=}}
|-
|[[Himachal Pradesh]] || {{na|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{na|color=}} || {{ya|color=}}
|-
|[[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]] || {{na|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{na|color=}} || {{ya|color=}}
|-
|[[North East India|North East]] || {{na|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{na|color=}} || {{ya|color=}}
|-
|[[Odisha]] || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{ya|color=}} || {{na|color=}} || {{ya|color=}}
|}
'''Note:''' The above table contains Vodafone-Idea (merged entity) radio frequency details because they used to share their networks with each other via ICR (intra-circle roaming agreement) in some circles. For example, Idea had started giving its customers in Delhi access to 4G services in May 2018 via the Vodafone network.<ref>{{citation |url=http://telecomtalk.info/idea-cellular-4g-delhi/177190/|publisher=Telecom Talk|access-date=15 July 2018|title=Idea Cellular 4G Services Now Live in Delhi Via ICR With Vodafone}}</ref> <ref>{{citation |url=http://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/idea-to-launch-volte-in-march-inks-4g-icr-agreement-with-vodafone/62634564|publisher=ET Telecom|access-date=15 July 2018|title=Idea to launch VoLTE in March, inks 4G ICR agreement with Vodafone}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==

* [http://data.conferenceworld.in/IEEERAJSHREE/P150-156.pdf Liquidity and Profitability Tradeoff (a study of Idea Cellular Limited)]

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.ideacellular.com/}}

{{Telecommunication companies of India}}
{{Axiata Group}}
{{Aditya Birla Group}}
{{Asia Mobility Initiative}}
{{Major telecommunications companies}}

[[Category:Companies based in Mumbai]]
[[Category:Telecommunications companies of India]]
[[Category:Axiata]]
[[Category:Aditya Birla Group]]
[[Category:Mobile phone companies of India]]
[[Category:Private equity portfolio companies]]
[[Category:Providence Equity Partners companies]]
[[Category:Internet service providers of India]]
[[Category:Indian companies established in 1995]]
[[Category:Companies listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange]]
[[Category:Indian brands]]
[[Category:Former AT&T subsidiaries]]
[[Category:Former Tata Group subsidiaries]]
[[Category:1995 establishments in Maharashtra]]
[[Category:Telecommunications companies established in 1995]]

Idea Cellular - Revision history

LizetteGoble: further correct structure as per guidelines also and cleaned formatting

2001:4998:EFFD:7F06:0:0:0:10DE: Fix people list on infobox