Airtel is now the third largest mobile operator in the world

Bharti Airtel today said that it has become the third largest mobile operator in the world in terms of subscribers. As per the latest data published by WCIS, Airtel with over 303 million mobile subscribers across its operations, has moved up one position in the global rankings.

Airtel began operations in November 1995 in New Delhi (India) and in less than two decades it has emerged as one of the top brands in the emerging markets with an unmatched scale and diversity of operations. The Company pioneered the low-cost business model based on outsourcing that has allowed it to expand its services rapidly and give customers affordable access to mobile telephony. 

Top Five Global Mobile Operators by Customers

Ranking	Operator	Wireless Mobile Connections (millions)*
1	China Mobile	626.27
2	Vodafone Group	403.08
3	Bharti Airtel	303.10
4	China Unicom	299.09
5	America Movil	274.14

(Source: World Cellular Information Service (WCIS) – As per their latest published global rankings)

Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman, Bharti Airtel, said, “This is a major landmark in the journey of Airtel and underlines the strength of our business model and our brand that is loved by customers across 20 countries.  Today, we seamlessly manage global scale operations in diverse geographies and deliver the same world-class services to each customers, this perhaps is one of our biggest achievements. I want to thank our employees and our business partners for supporting us through this exciting journey and with the mobile internet play about to happen in the developing world, things will only get brighter from here on.”

Airtel’s mobile networks cover over 1.85 billion^ people across its operations in 20 countries and carried over 1.23 trillion minutes of calls and over 333 petabytes of data in FY 2014-15.

In India, Airtel has one of the largest bouquet of mobile services offerings for customers - including 2G, 3G, 4G, Mobile Commerce and other Value Added Services. Its distribution channel is spread across 1.5 Mn outlets, with network presence in 5,121 census and 464,045 non-census towns and villages in India covering approximately 86.8% of the country’s population. Airtel has the largest rural mobile customer base in India with over 100 million mobile customers (from rural markets).

Airtel has India’s widest 3G footprint, offering customers high-speed internet access and a host of innovative services like Mobile TV, video calls, live-streaming videos and gaming. Airtel is the only mobile operator in India to offer 4G services in over 30 cities using TD - LTE & FDD - LTE technology, providing customers the fastest wireless services with buffer-less HD video streaming and multi-tasking capabilities. Going forward, Airtel plans to launch ultrafast 4G services in India’s first FDD‐LTE on 1800 MHz in 6 circles.

In Africa, Bharti Airtel is the largest mobile operator in the Continent in terms of geographical footprint.  It offers 2G, 3G services and Airtel Money across all 17 countries in Africa. Airtel Money is one of the largest and fastest growing m-commerce services on the continent and with data adoption leading the growth on the continent, Airtel is well positioned to leverage the opportunities.

In Bangladesh, Bharti Airtel is the fastest growing mobile operator, with a distribution network comprising over 146K retailers across the country. The company offers a wide range of 2G and 3G services in Bangladesh, including voice, value added services, entertainment, m-commerce and m-health.

In Sri Lanka, Bharti Airtel offers a range of mobile services which includes voice, data and enterprise solutions on its state-of-the-art 2G and 3G HSPA+ network. Airtel’s 3G presence across over 70% of its network is amongst the highest 3G ratio available across the subcontinent.

Tecno WinPad 10 a 2-in-1 device launched

 Tecno Mobile, in collaboration with Intel Corporation and Microsoft has today announced the launch of Tecno WinPad 10, a 2-in-1 device that is set to meet the needs of Kenya’s increasingly mobile working population.

A combined tablet and laptop, the Tecno WinPad 10 runs on Windows 8.1 with Bing Operating System (OS) and is designed to serve the needs of Kenya’s entrepreneurial market that values mobility for increased productivity.

Tecno Dep. GM Steven Hang ( left), ICT PS Joseph Tiampati ( 2ndLeft), Microsoft EA GM Kunle Awosika and Intel GM Danie Steyn during the launch of the device at a Nairobi hotel.

Powered by an Intel® Atom™ quad-core processor, the detachable device comes in a package inclusive of the tablet, keypad and keyboard cover. This device will be upgradable to Windows 10 for free when the software becomes available later this year.

Speaking during the launch, Tecno Mobile Deputy General Manager for tablet business unit Steven Hang said, “Kenya is a key market for us and the launch of the Tecno WinPad 10 demonstrates our commitment to providing innovative products to our customers. We believe this product will allow users to transition smoothly from business to lifestyle increasing their productivity by giving them the power of a laptop and the freedom of a tablet.”

Many Kenyans are working on the move increasing the amount of time spent outside the office. As a result, the need for productivity on the go has increased and this device is designed to provide a solution to this need. The device, which only weighs 550 grams, is easily portable and much lighter than your normal PC.

This device can also easily fit into your suitcase or handbag, allowing you to transition from your office, to class, type notes if you are a student or prepare a presentation on the go. Users will enjoy one year of Microsoft Office 365, built-in 3G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 that allows consumers to surf the internet at optimal speeds, anytime, anywhere.

Commenting on the launch, Danie Steyn, General Manager for East Africa at Intel Corporation said, “Over the past few years, Intel's advancements in processor technology have transformed the way we use computers and have led to an exciting array of sleek, responsive and powerful compute devices, at varying price points. TECNO WinPad 10 is proof of that. As a company we see a big opportunity working with TECNO to bring innovative, quality and affordable devices designed for emerging markets. This is just the beginning of our collaboration with TECNO.”

The Tecno WinPad 10 will not only bring functionality and convenience but also support an increasingly mobile business environment.

Speaking during the event, Microsoft Kenya’s country manager Kunle Awosika acknowledged it was an exciting time for the firm and its customers. He added there was a wide variety of amazing Windows 8.1 devices, offering cool designs and all the features customers want in market now that will be great Windows 10 devices when upgraded end of July.

“We are working with partners like Tecno and Intel throughout our expanding ecosystem to offer a great Windows 10 upgrade experience on existing devices and to build a wide range of innovative new devices Like the Winpad 10, across categories and price points, that bring Windows 10 capabilities and experiences to life for customers,” he said.

The TECNO Winpad 10 will be available in Safaricom shops countrywide and will retail at KES 30,000. Individuals are looking for devices that have versatility, especially where they need a computer, as well as a tablet this is a really good buy for them.