Jio witnesses highest user engagement of up to 30% among all telcos

Reliance Jio apps witnessed the highest subscriber utilisation (number of subscribers using the app) of up to 30 per cent among telecom service providers, says a recent study. For other telcos, the utilisation level was 10-20 per cent.

While part of the high engagement is due to Jio’s presence across smartphones and app-enabled feature phones, analysts said this did not mean that Jio would be able convert that into higher average revenue per user (Arpu).

In a recent report, UBS Evidence Lab said: "While Jio is slightly ahead of incumbents on app engagement, overall engagement levels are low and will limit (all) telcos' ability to charge for these apps separately. Global examples of telcos being able to charge separately for content are limited." The report noted that customer engagement on apps of telecom operators is below 25 per cent.

Bharti Airtel, Idea Cellular, Tata Comm hit 52-week lows

Shares of telecom services providers (telcos) are under pressure with all major listed stocks – Bharti Airtel, Idea Cellular and Tata Communications – hitting their respective 52-week lows on the BSE, on concerns of weak earning in June quarter (Q1FY19).
Idea Cellular (down 6% to Rs 49.50), Tata Communications (5% at Rs 543) and Bharti Airtel (3% at Rs 331) were down in the range of 3% to 6%, as compared to 0.32% rise in the S&P BSE Sensex at 11:17 am.

In past one month, these three stocks have fallen in the range of 10% to 20% against 3% rise in the benchmark index.

According to Motilal Oswal Securities, the spillover of the fresh round of undercutting by operators from 4QFY18 to 1QFY19 continued to take a toll on telcos’ revenue.

Further, consolidation in the telecom sector had fuelled the exit of tenancies, leading to higher tenancy cost per operator. This, coupled with installation of cell sites on fresh towers (non-loading) and soaring diesel prices, is expected to increase the QoQ network cost for all operators, the brokerage firm said in Q1FY19 results preview.

DoT may approve merger of Vodafone, Idea Cellular in the next few days

The department of telecommunications (DoT) is likely to approve the merger of Vodafone and Idea Cellular in the next few days, making the combined entity the country’s largest mobile services operator.

Sources said all the wings of the DoT as well as Telecom Secretary Aruna Sundararajan had given a go-ahead to the merger. After signature by Communications Minister Manoj Sinha, the approval document will be sent to the companies.

The sources further said neither company would have to pay big sums to the government as most dues, including licence fees and spectrum charges, were under litigation.

“Dues under judicial intervention cannot be sought by the government. Only the ongoing dues need to be paid by the companies at the time of merger,” a source in DoT said.

The source added that although one-time spectrum charges had also been stayed, Idea Cellular, the acquirer, would have to furnish a bank guarantee for this charge in accordance with the merger and acquisition guidelines. One-time spectrum charges for Idea Cellular stand in the range of Rs 20-25 billion. Idea is likely to contest the bank guarantee demand by the DoT. Ongoing dues, which include penalties and other minor charges, are just a few billion rupees, which will be paid at the time of merger.