Bharti Airtel surpasses 650 million customers globally, credits growth

Bharti Airtel has crossed 650 million customers globally, with 368 million in India and 179 million in Africa. The growth is attributed to its digital services, 5G rollout, and the success of its Airtel Money platform in Africa.

Bharti Airtel on Wednesday announced that it has crossed the milestone of 650 million customers globally.

According to an exchange filing, the telecom major, with operations spanning across India and Africa, attributed the growth to its expanding digital services portfolio and robust infrastructure capabilities.

Airtel's India Operations and Digital Services

In India, Bharti Airtel has 368 million mobile customers, while its Africa operations account for 179 million users across 14 countries. The company noted that it was the first in India to roll out 5G Plus services and continues to anchor a converged digital ecosystem, including Xstream AirFiber (FWA) and integrated IPTV services.

"Airtel now serves over 13 million homes with high-speed internet services and over 15 million through our Digital TV offering. This 'customer-obsessed' innovation is supported by the world's first network-based AI spam protection solution," the company said in its press release.

Driving Growth and Inclusion in Africa

Highlighting its presence in Africa, the company said it provides a vital digital lifeline through integrated mobile voice, high-speed data, and international roaming services. It added that Airtel Money, its mobile financial platform with over 52 million users, is central to its regional strategy and is driving financial inclusion by enabling banking and instant payments for millions of unbanked individuals.

Expanding Connectivity with Satellite Partnerships

The company further said it is working to bridge the digital divide through partnerships with Eutelsat OneWeb and SpaceX, leveraging Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellations to deliver high-speed, low-latency broadband connectivity to remote maritime, aviation, and rural areas.

Executive Commentary on Milestone

"Achieving the milestone of 650 million customers to be the second largest operator globally is a great responsibility for us to serve our customers better every day. This is why we invest in state-of-the-art technologies to not only provide connectivity but to also deliver a safe network," Gopal Vittal, Executive Vice Chairman, Bharti Airtel, said.

Market Response

As of 0217 IST, shares of the company were trading 0.5 per cent lower at Rs 1,772.60 on the National Stock Exchange. (ANI)

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