Editing Telecommunications in India (section)

=== Consolidation ===
Post starting of the commercial operation of [[Reliance Jio]] in September 2016, the telecom market saw a huge change in terms of falling tariff rates and reduction of data charges, which changed the economics for some of the telecom players. This resulted in exit of many smaller players from the market. Players like Videocon and Systema sold their spectrum under spectrum trading agreements to Airtel and RCOM respectively in Q4 2016.

On 23 February 2017, [[Telenor India]] announced that [[Bharti Airtel]] will take over all its business and assets in India and deal will be completed in 12 months timeframe.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.telenor.com/media/press-release/bharti-airtel-to-take-ownership-of-telenors-operations-in-india | title=Bharti Airtel to take ownership of Telenor's operations in India | date=23 February 2017 | publisher=Telenor Group | access-date=13 January 2019 | archive-date=22 November 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181122131846/https://www.telenor.com/media/press-release/bharti-airtel-to-take-ownership-of-telenors-operations-in-india | url-status=dead }}</ref> On 14 May 2018, [[Department of Telecommunications|Department of Telecom]] approved the merger of [[Telenor India]] with Bharti Airtel paving the way for final commercial closing of the merger between the two companies.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/company/corporate-trends/dot-approves-merger-of-bharti-airtel-and-telenor-india/articleshow/64157286.cms|title={title}|newspaper=The Economic Times |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143719/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/company/corporate-trends/dot-approves-merger-of-bharti-airtel-and-telenor-india/articleshow/64157286.cms|archive-date=12 June 2018|url-status=live|access-date=20 July 2018|df=dmy-all|last1=Aulakh |first1=Gulveen }}</ref> [[Telenor India]] has been acquired by Airtel almost without any cost.

On 12 October 2017, [[Bharti Airtel]] announced that it would acquire the consumer mobile businesses of [[Tata Teleservices]] Ltd (TTSL) and Tata Teleservices Maharastra Ltd (TTML) in a debt-free cash-free deal. The deal was essentially free for [[Airtel India|Airtel]] which incurred TTSL's unpaid spectrum payment liability. TTSL will continue to operate its enterprise, fixed line and broadband businesses and its stake in tower company Viom Networks.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bharti Airtel to acquire Tata's mobile business on debt-free cash-free basis|url=http://www.businesstoday.in/current/corporate/bharti-airtel-acquire-tata-teleservices-ttsl-consumer-mobile-business/story/261930.html|website=www.businesstoday.in|date=12 October 2017 |access-date=18 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171115064028/http://www.businesstoday.in/current/corporate/bharti-airtel-acquire-tata-teleservices-ttsl-consumer-mobile-business/story/261930.html|archive-date=15 November 2017|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Tata and Bharti to combine consumer telecom business via @tatacompanies|url=http://www.tata.com/company/releasesinside/tata-bharti-combine-telecom-business|website=tata.com|access-date=18 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171112170337/http://www.tata.com/company/releasesinside/tata-bharti-combine-telecom-business|archive-date=12 November 2017|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Kurup|first1=Rajesh|title=Tata Tele hangs up on mobile business; Airtel picks it up|url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/info-tech/bharti-airtel-to-merge-consumer-mobile-business-of-tata-teleservices/article9901695.ece|website=The Hindu Business Line|access-date=18 November 2017|date=12 October 2017|archive-date=29 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729031248/https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/info-tech/tata-tele-hangs-up-on-mobile-business-airtel-picks-it-up/article9901695.ece|url-status=live}}</ref> The consumer mobile businesses of Tata Docomo, Tata Teleservices (TTSL) and Tata Teleservices Maharashtra Limited (TTML) have been merged into [[Bharti Airtel]] from 1 July 2019<ref>{{Cite web |last=bureau |first=Odisha Diary |date=2017-10-12 |title=Tata and Bharti to Combine Consumer Telecom Business |url=https://orissadiary.com/tata-bharti-combine-consumer-telecom-business/ |access-date=2022-02-27 |website=Odisha News {{!}} Odisha Breaking News {{!}} Latest Odisha News |language=en-US |archive-date=27 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227092655/https://orissadiary.com/tata-bharti-combine-consumer-telecom-business/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/info-tech/airtel-tata-tele-merger-completed/article28251509.ece|title=Airtel's Tata merger deal|date=1 July 2019|publisher=Business Line|access-date=3 July 2019|archive-date=15 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230915075303/https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/info-tech/airtel-tata-tele-merger-completed/article28251509.ece|url-status=live}} {{verify source |date=September 2019 |reason=This ref was deleted ([[Special:Diff/911053062]]) by a bug in VisualEditor and later restored by a bot from the original cite at [[Special:Permalink/911044148]] cite #9 - please verify the cite's accuracy and remove this {verify source} template. [[User:GreenC bot/Job 18]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/telecom/telecom-news/tata-teleservices-merger-dot-seeks-rs-7200-crore-bank-guarantee-from-airtel/articleshow/68833052.cms|title=DoT approved deal of Tata and Bharti Airtel|date=11 April 2019|newspaper=Economic Times|access-date=5 May 2019|archive-date=28 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728031141/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/telecom/telecom-news/tata-teleservices-merger-dot-seeks-rs-7200-crore-bank-guarantee-from-airtel/articleshow/68833052.cms|url-status=live}} {{verify source |date=September 2019 |reason=This ref was deleted ([[Special:Diff/911053062]]) by a bug in VisualEditor and later restored by a bot from the original cite at [[Special:Permalink/911044148]] cite #10 - please verify the cite's accuracy and remove this {verify source} template. [[User:GreenC bot/Job 18]]}}</ref>

[[Reliance Communications]] had to shut down its [[2G]] and [[3G]] services including all voice services and only offer [[4G]] data services from 29 December 2017, as a result of debt and a failed merger with [[Aircel]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/company/corporate-trends/reliance-communications-to-shut-voice-calls-from-next-month/articleshow/61504833.cms | title=Reliance Communications to shut voice calls from next month | newspaper=[[The Economic Times]] | date=4 November 2017 | access-date=29 November 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201150023/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/company/corporate-trends/reliance-communications-to-shut-voice-calls-from-next-month/articleshow/61504833.cms | archive-date=1 December 2017 | url-status=live | df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/debt-ridden-reliance-communication-to-shut-voice-calls-from-december-1/articleshow/61506688.cms | title=Debt ridden Reliance Communication to shut voice calls from December 1 | newspaper=[[The Times of India]] | date=4 November 2017 | access-date=29 November 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171106032337/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/debt-ridden-reliance-communication-to-shut-voice-calls-from-december-1/articleshow/61506688.cms | archive-date=6 November 2017 | url-status=live | df=dmy-all }}</ref> Surprisingly, the shut down was shortly after completion of acquisition of [[MTS India]] on 31 October 2017.<ref>{{cite web|title=Reliance Communications Completes Merger With MTS|url=http://profit.ndtv.com/news/corporates/article-reliance-communications-completes-merger-with-mts-1769486|website=NDTV|date=31 October 2017 |access-date=18 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201040646/http://profit.ndtv.com/news/corporates/article-reliance-communications-completes-merger-with-mts-1769486|archive-date=1 December 2017|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Reliance Communications completes merger with MTS|url=http://zeenews.india.com/companies/reliance-communications-completes-merger-with-mts-2053315.html|website=Zee News|access-date=18 November 2017|date=31 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171108131849/http://zeenews.india.com/companies/reliance-communications-completes-merger-with-mts-2053315.html|archive-date=8 November 2017|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref> In February 2019, the company filed for bankruptcy as it was unable to sell assets to repay its debt.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Siddiqui |first1=Danish |title=RCom goes to bankruptcy court to resolve debt burden |url=https://in.reuters.com/article/rcom-debt/rcom-goes-to-bankruptcy-court-to-resolve-debt-burden-idINKCN1PQ4WT |access-date=28 February 2019 |work=Reuters |date=1 February 2019 |archive-date=27 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027130609/https://in.reuters.com/article/rcom-debt/rcom-goes-to-bankruptcy-court-to-resolve-debt-burden-idINKCN1PQ4WT |url-status=dead }} {{verify source |date=September 2019 |reason=This ref was deleted ([[Special:Diff/911053838]]) by a bug in VisualEditor and later restored by a bot from the original cite at [[Special:Permalink/910312130]] cite #3 - please verify the cite's accuracy and remove this {verify source} template. [[User:GreenC bot/Job 18]]}}</ref> It has an estimated debt of ₹ 57,383 crore against assets worth ₹18,000 crore.<ref>{{cite news|last1=ET Bureau|title=RCom to move NCLT to offload assets, repay debt|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/telecom/anil-ambani-cant-find-a-fix-for-rcom-files-for-bankruptcy/articleshow/67798419.cms|access-date=28 February 2019|work=The Economic Times|date=2 February 2019|archive-date=19 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230919143059/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/telecom/anil-ambani-cant-find-a-fix-for-rcom-files-for-bankruptcy/articleshow/67798419.cms|url-status=live}} {{verify source |date=September 2019 |reason=This ref was deleted ([[Special:Diff/911053838]]) by a bug in VisualEditor and later restored by a bot from the original cite at [[Special:Permalink/910312130]] cite #4 - please verify the cite's accuracy and remove this {verify source} template. [[User:GreenC bot/Job 18]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.livemint.com/industry/telecom/nclt-appoints-aneesh-nanavati-of-deloitte-as-rp-for-reliance-communications-1561128208280.html|title=NCLT appoints Aneesh Nanavati of Deloitte as RP for Reliance Communications|date=2019-06-21|website=www.livemint.com|language=en|access-date=2019-08-16|archive-date=16 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190816073459/https://www.livemint.com/industry/telecom/nclt-appoints-aneesh-nanavati-of-deloitte-as-rp-for-reliance-communications-1561128208280.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Aircel]] shut down its operations in unprofitable circles including, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh (West) from 30 January 2018.<ref>{{cite web|title=Aircel to shut operations in six circles from January 30|date=20 December 2017 |url=http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/aircel-to-shut-operations-in-six-circles-from-january-30-2465863.html|publisher=[[Moneycontrol.com]]|access-date=3 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180103133457/http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/aircel-to-shut-operations-in-six-circles-from-january-30-2465863.html|archive-date=3 January 2018|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Aircel along with its units - Aircel Cellular and Dishnet Wireless - on 1 March 2018, filed for bankruptcy in the National Companies Law Tribunal (NCLT) in Mumbai due to huge competition and high levels of debt.

Vodafone and Idea Cellular completed their merger on 31 August 2018, and the merged entity is renamed to [[Vodafone Idea Limited|Vi]].<ref name="mergeraug">{{cite web|url=https://www.ideacellular.com/content/dam/ir/VIL%20Begins%20Operations%20(1).pdf|title=Merger of Idea Cellular and Vodafone India completed - creating India's largest telecom service provider|publisher=Idea|access-date=31 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180831142120/https://www.ideacellular.com/content/dam/ir/VIL%20Begins%20Operations%20(1).pdf|archive-date=31 August 2018|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The merger created the largest telecom company in India by subscribers and by revenue,<ref name="mergeraug"/> and the second largest mobile network in terms of number of subscribers in the world. Under the terms of the deal, the [[Vodafone Group]] holds a 45.1% stake in the combined entity, the [[Aditya Birla Group]] holds 26% and the remaining shares will be held by the public.<ref name="mergeraug"/> However, even after the merger both the brands have been continued to carry their own independent brands.<ref name="mergeraug"/>

With all this consolidation, the Indian mobile market has turned into a four-player market, with [[Jio]] as the number-one player, with revenue market share of 34%, [[Airtel India]] in second position, with revenue market share of 28% and [[Vodafone Idea|Vi]], with revenue market share of 27%. The government operator BSNL/MTNL is in the distant 4th position, with an approximate market share of 11%<ref>{{Cite news|last=Parbat|first=Kalyan|date=August 28, 2018|title=Reliance Jio {{!}} Mukesh Ambani: Reliance Jio inches closer to Bharti Airtel in terms of revenue market share|work=The Economic Times|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/telecom/telecom-news/reliance-jio-inches-closer-to-bharti-airtel-in-terms-of-revenue-market-share/articleshow/65556052.cms|access-date=2021-06-06|archive-date=22 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181122131914/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/telecom/telecom-news/reliance-jio-inches-closer-to-bharti-airtel-in-terms-of-revenue-market-share/articleshow/65556052.cms|url-status=live}}</ref>