Bharti Airtel’s big bet: Will the Tata Play deal power its home services pivot?
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. MUMBAI : Bharti Airtel, India’s second-largest telecom operator, has cemented its position as the industry’s most resilient player, outpacing rivals in subscriber additions, revenue growth, and profitability. But with its core wireless business maturing, the company is now eyeing a new growth frontier: home services.
Airtel’s ongoing discussions to merge its DTH business with Tata Sons’ Tata Play signal a deeper push into broadband, pay-TV, and enterprise connectivity. Analysts see the move as a strategic pivot to monetize its 5G investments beyond mobile tariff hikes. However, with the pay-TV business in structural decline and execution risks looming, the success of this expansion remains a key question.
Airtel’s December quarter results reinforced its industry lead. The company added nearly 5 million new subscribers, lifted its average revenue per user (ARPU) by 5%, and posted a 41% sequential surge in net adjusted profit to ₹5,500 crore. Read this | Telecom Q3 review: Airtel triumphs in Arpu battle, but Jio could win the war Yet, despite these strong numbers, Airtel’s stock remains 12% below its September peak, weighed down by broader investor caution.
“It (the DTH merger plan) is a step in the right direction, which will improve Airtel’s functionality in the future. But relentless selling by foreign portfolio investors in large-cap (stocks) has overshadowed sentiment around this development," said Piyush Pandey, telecom, internet, and IT analyst at Centrum Broking. The contrast with rivals is stark, though.
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