

Vodafone Idea’s ₹35,000-crore loan bid faces fresh lender scrutiny
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. NEW DELHI/MUMBAI : Lenders to embattled telecom operator Vodafone Idea Ltd are examining the company’s spectrum dues, subscriber losses and weak user revenue before deciding on its request for a fresh loan of ₹35,000 crore, a person involved in the discussions said. An external techno-economic viability (TEV) study done in 2024 to examine Vodafone Idea's creditworthiness will be updated with new projections, and a fresh TEV will not be done, the person said on condition of anonymity.
The update will also take into account the recent court relief on adjusted gross revenue (AGR), which came after the TEV was submitted. “While the AGR issue has been settled, lenders have no clarity on the telco’s spectrum dues, which are substantially higher than AGR," said the person cited earlier. “The earlier loan proposal was based on assumptions about the performance of the company, and these assumptions will now be tallied with the actuals." He said that the company has been forthcoming with data and is aiding the process that will culminate in lenders discussing the plan with the consortium.
“The final call on the loan will be taken after that," this person said. Notably, the telecom operator has been struggling with debt, fundraise, and is losing subscribers steadily as it is unable to upgrade its network and reach. In the time since the TEV was done, Vodafone Idea has lost 7 million subscribers.
Vodafone Idea’s Arpu was at ₹172 a month as of December-end, whereas Jio’s Arpu was ₹213.70. Airtel currently leads the industry with ₹256 Arpu a month as of September-end. Banks are concerned that Vodafone Idea’s Arpu has also been lower than the industry average, as users have limited access to the 5G
. Read on livemint.com