History of Bharti Airtel Ltd.
Bharti Tele-Ventures was incorporated on July 7, 1995 as a Comp. with limited liability under the Companies Act, for promoting telecommunications services. Bharti Tele-Ventures received certificate for commencement of business on January 18, 1996. The Comp. was initially formed as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bharti Telecom Limited. The chronology of events since Bharti Tele-Ventures was incorporated in 1995 is as follows:
Calendar year and Events
1995
- Bharti Cellular launched cellular services'AirTel'in Delhi
1996
- STET International Netherlands NV, or STET, a Comp. promoted by Telecom Italia, Italy acquired a 20% equity interest in Bharti Tele-Ventures
- Bharti Telenet launched cellular services in Himachal Pradesh
1997
- British Telecom acquired a 21.05% equity interest in Bharti Cellular
- Bharti Telenet obtained a license for providing fixed-line services in Madhya Pradesh circle
- Bharti Telecom & British Telecom formed a 51% : 49% joint venture, Bharti BT, for providing VSAT services
1998
- Bharti Telecom & British Telecom formed a 51% : 49% joint venture, Bharti BT Internet for providing Internet services
- First Indian private fixed-line services launched in Indore in the Madhya Pradesh circle on June 4, 1998 by Bharti Telenet thereby ending fixed-line services monopoly of DoT [now BSNLs]
1999
- Warburg Pincus [through its investment Comp. Brentwood Investment Holdings Limiteds] acquired a 19.05% equity interest in Bharti Tele-Ventures
- Bharti Tele-Ventures [by acquiring a 63.45% equity interest in SC Cellular Holdingss] acquired an effective 32.36% equity interest in Bharti Mobile [formerly JT Mobiless], the cellular services provider in Karnataka & Andhra Pradesh circles
- New York Life Insurance Fund, or NYLIF, acquired a 3% equity interest in Bharti Cellular
2000
- Bharti Tele-Ventures acquired an effective equity interest of 40.5% in Bharti Mobinet [formerly Skycell Communicationss], the cellular services provider in Chennai
- Bharti Tele-Ventures acquired a 30.2% equity interest of Telecom Italia in Bharti Telenet & 18.8% from Bharti Telecom thereby making Bharti Telenet a 100% subsidiary of Bharti Tele-Ventures
- SingTel [through its investment Comp. Pastel Limiteds] acquired STET 15.3% equity interest in Bharti Tele-Ventures
- Bharti Tele-Ventures acquired an additional effective 41.64% equity interest in Bharti Mobile [by acquiring the remaining 36.55% equity interest in SC Cellulars] resulting in Bharti Tele-Ventures holding an effective 74% equity interest in Bharti Mobile.
2001
- Bharti Tele-Ventures acquired NYLIF 3% equity interest in Bharti Cellular
- Bharti Telesonic entered into a joint venture, Bharti Aquanet, with SingTel for establishing a submarine cable landing station at Chennai
- Bharti Tele-Ventures issued additional equity for approximately US$ 481.30 million to SingTel, Warburg Pincus, AIF group, IFC, NYLIF, and Seejay Cellular & Bharti Telecom
- Bharti Cellular acquired a 100% equity interest in Bharti Mobitel [formerly Spice Cell s], the cellular services provider in Kolkata
- Bharti Tele-Ventures acquired 85% & 15% in Bharti Telespatial from Bharti Telecom & Intel, respectively
- Bharti Tele-Ventures acquired a 44% equity interest in Bharti Cellular from British Telecom, thereby making Bharti Cellular its 100% subsidiary
- Bharti Tele-Ventures acquired an additional 49% equity interest in Bharti Mobinet from Millicom International & BellSouth International, thereby owning 89.5% equity interest in Bharti Mobinet, which was further increased to 95.3% following an issuance of additional equity shares by way of rights issue
- Punjab license restored to Bharti Mobile by DoT & migration to NTP - 1999 accepted
- Bharti Cellular entered into license agreements to provide cellular services in eight new circles following the fourth operator cellular license bidding process
- Bharti Telenet entered into license agreements to provide fixed-line services in the Haryana, Delhi, Tamil Nadu & Karnataka circles
- Bharti Telesonic entered into a license agreement with the DoT to provide national long distance services across India
- Bharti Aquanet, Bharti Telesonic & Bharti Cellular entered into license agreements with the DoT to provide ISP services in India
- Bharti Telesonic launched national long distance services under the brand name of 'IndiaOne'
- Bharti Telenet launched fixed line services in Haryana under the brand name of 'TouchTel'.
2002
- Comes out with issue of 18.53 crore equity shares through book building route with a floor price of Rs 45 per share, received bid for 18.55 crore shares. Through the issue, it becomes the first Comp. in India to come out with 100% book building issue
-Issue price fixed at Rs 45 per share, floor price fixed by company. Raises Rs 834 crore
-Shares listed on BSE, NSE & DSE, opens at 11% premium to its issue price of Rs 45
-Enters into a 5-year agreement with Escotel & ETL of Escorts group to contract leased line connectivity for its cellular operations
-Mr. Ravi Akhoury ceases to be Director of Bharti Tele
-DoT grants ILD Telephony License to Bharti Telesonic, subsidiary of company
-Signs MoU with Telia AB to buy out their 26% stake in Bharti Mobile
-Ties up with SSC [Secondary School Certifications] Board, Hyderabad, where Bharti will announce SSC results to its customers on their mobile phones
-ICICI Bank ties up with Bharti for pre-paid mobile cards via ATMs
-Bharti forays into Mumbai with offers
-Alpine International limited & ELM International limited acquire shares of Bharti Tele-Ventures
-Sunil Mittal, Chairman and Managing Director of company, bags Businessman of year award by Business India
2003
-Airtel breaks interconnectivity with Tata Teleservices in Andhra Pradesh Circle
-Company accorded its approval for amalgamation of its subsidiary companies viz: Bharti Telenet Ltd, Bharti Telesonic Ltd, Bharti Broadband Networks Ltd & Bharti Comtel Ltd through scheme of Amalgamation. The merged entity would be renamed as 'Bharti Infotel Ltd'
-Air Tel launches Local direct dialling facility in Chennai circle
-Mobilises $315 m long term foreign currency borrowings for expansion of cellular operations
-Bharti Cellular unveils CareTouch service
-Bharti Group cellular brand Airtel has unveiled free multimedia messaging services [MMSs] for its customers. The Comp. has also rolled out pan-India GPRS [General Packet Radio Servicess] for its corporate subscribers
-Launches its `IndiaOne MeetXpress' audio-conferencing service
-Punjab, Haryana get free incoming calls from Airtel
-AirTel provides SMS facilities to hearing impaired in Chennai
-Goa, Maharashtra gets 'voice portal' services by Bharti Cellular
-Launches free additional connection to its new subscribers in New Delhi
-Mr Sin Hang Boon & Mr Wong Hung Khim have resigned from the Board of Directors of Bharti Tele Ventures Ltd with effect from February 27, 2003.
-Airtel provides SMS cricket updates
-Bharti Mobinet Ltd, the Bharti group Comp. that provides the AirTel mobile service in Chennai, today launched its GPRS [General Packet Radio Services] network & an MMS [multi-media messagings] on the GPRS platform
-AirTel unveils new ring tones for karnataka cellular market
-AirTel Subscribers exceed 3 million mark
-AirTel unveils RAD system
-Mr P M Sinha resigns from the Board of Directors of Comp. with effect from March 31, 2003.
-Bharti TeleVentures announces the completion of merger with Bharti Mobitel
-Bharti Mobitel limited merged with Bharti Cellular Ltd.
-AirTel reintroduces 'Mobile 2 Mobile' offer for Karnataka customers
-AirTel, Touchtel jointly offer freeTouchtel land line for post-paid Airtel connection
-AirTel rolls out voice mail service for pre-paid customers
-AirTel unveils new scheme for pre-paid customers giving away free talk time worth Rs 10 crore
-Airtel surpasses 4 lakh subscriber base in Karnataka
-Bharti announces new tariff plan AirTel 012
-Offers 0-1-2, a new cellular package for customers, which means zero charges on incoming calls, Re 1 on mobile-to-mobile outgoing calls, Rs 2 on mobile-to-mobile STD calls
-Rolls out Airtel messenger service
-AirTel offers bundled handset, connection package for Rs 5715
-Airtel slashes SMS rates to 60 paise; excludes Delhi & Mumbai
-Bharti cellular, wholly owned subsidiary of Bharti Tele-Ventures, increases its stake to 100% in Bharti Mobile
-Iinks distribution pact with Hathway Cable. With this alliance, Bharti is said to be the first telecom firm to step into television distribution services
-Six cell operators move over from Bharti to VSNL
-Airtel augments cellular coverage in TN by including Arcot and Walajapet in its network
-Airtel ties up with Coke in Chennai to sell its Magic prepaid cards
-AirTel embarks on network expansion in Hyderabad
-Airtel unveils IndiaOne Long Distance Calling Card
-AirTel introduces unified tariff package in TN, Chennai
-Airtel becomes front runner in Karnataka mobile services market
-Bharti Tele launches 'Always on' service to its subscribers
-SBI, AirTel announce EMI offer at Rs 299
-Bharti & MTV join hands to launch new SIM card
-AirTel unveils new post-paid scheme at zero rental
-AirTel launches `Happy Plan' in AP
-Airtel emerges as the highest selling pre-paid card
-Airtel join hands with Alcatel and Videocon to launch new scheme
-AirTel service provider touches 5 lakh customers in Punjab
-Airtel offers 5 new services for its customers in Mumbai
-Bharti launches first dual band network in Delhi
-Gets 14th place among top 25 Cos in India
-Bharti Mobile crosses 4 lakh mobile subscribers in AP
-Airtel holds top position in terms of dealer penetration
-Prof. V S Raju has been inducted on the Board of Directors of Company.
-Touchtel launches SMS service in fixed line phones in Karnal, Panipat
-AitTel unveils special offers in Kerala
-AirTel launches InnoWest for western region
-Bharti Tele-Ventures enters into an agreement with Telesystem [Mauritiuss] Pvt. Ltd
-Airtel slashes out going sms price to 30ps
- AirTel on December 16, 2003 announced the launch of expense tracker service, which provides customers the option of tracking their day-to-day expenses on a daily or monthly basis. To avail of this service, the customer should register himself by sending EXP REG Your mail ID{gt} to 3020. This service will allow a user to track expenses, while on the move by sending an SMS. Each SMS sent to 3020 would cost Rs 3.
-AirTel introduces MTV Club Card in Chennai
2004
-Bharti unveils new card for Mecca piligrims
-AirTel enrolls 50,000 customers in its mobile service in 60 days
-Launches WAP enabled portal Service in Kerala
- Bharti Cellular AirTel has extended its mobile connectivity to Karaikkal, Nagur, Mannargudi & Kovilpalayam in Tamil Nadu circle.
-Airtel customer base touches new high of 5 lakh mark in Andhra Pradesh
- Mobile service provider AirTel is launching its first ever MMS [Multi Media services] downloads in Tamil. The launch of this service has been timed to coincide with Pongal.
-AirTel tie up with MAA TV
-Airtel launches Rs 50 pre-paids recharge
-AirTel launched a family pack for its post-paid customers in Chennai on January 29. According to a press release, the family pack may have a maximum of 10 members spread across the country. The combined basic plan fixed charges/rental of all family members in the pack will have to be equal to Rs 450 but less than Rs 1000 for family 450 pack & above Rs 1000 for family 1000 pack. The offerings under family pack 450 include 15 free mobile to mobile STD minutes within the family, 50 free local calling minutes to each family member, calls within the family in same circle at 50 paise per minute, 25 free local SMS & one subscription alert service free for 3 months.
-Bharti Tele-Ventures enters into a three year service agreement with Ericsson
-Bharti Tele-Ventures [BTVLs] has signed & received unified access service licence to provide GSM services in five circles including Uttar Pradesh [Easts], West Bengal and Andaman Nicobar, Orissa, Bihar & Jammu and Kashmir. The licence has been granted to Bharti Cellular Ltd [BCLs], the cellular arm & subsidiary of BTVL.
-Airtel announces the signing of first-ever bilateral roaming agreement between an Indian mobile service provider & its counterpart in Pakistan. This facility will be available to pre-paid as well as post-paid customers. AirTel roaming agreement is with Mobilink, the only GSM cellular service provider in Pakistan
-Acquires switching systems from Tekelec that will give a technological edge to the company
-Bharti Tele-Ventures Ltd signed an information technology outsourcing deal with infotech major IBM, estimated to be in the range of $700-750 million for a ten-year period.
-Jayant Khosla, new chief executive officer, Mumbai
-Signs MoU to join the South East Asia - Middle East - Western Europe 4 [SEA-ME-WE-4s] consortium along with 15 other global telecom operators.
-Bharti Tele-Ventures has struck a deal with Shyam Telecom to buy out the latter 67.5 per cent stake in cellular services Comp. Hexacom for Rs 430 crore.
-Bharti Tele garners $100 m via FCCBs
- Samsung India Electronics Limited has tied up with cellular operator Bharti for bundling its mobile handsets with a connection.
-The Bharti group finalised a Rs 500-crore deal to share its national long-distance [STDs] network with VSNL in a first-of-its-kind accord between two top telecom service providers in a bid to optimise capacities in the NLD segment.
- Internet gateway & services provider, Videsh Sanchar Nigam limited [VSNLs] has signed a Right to Use [RoUs] agreement to deploy mobile telephony major, Bharti Tele-Ventures' existing National Long Distance [NLDs] backbone.
-Airtel offers talktime transfer service
-Airtel has announced money-back guarantee offer in case of call drop or poor network experience for its subscribers
-Bharti launches 2-in-1 card
-- Airtel launched two-way international roaming & GPRS for prepaid customers in the Maharshtra & Goa circles
-India leading cellular Comp. Bharti Tele-Ventures has bagged the 'Asian MobileNews operator of year' award in India & the subcontinent
-Bharti Tele-Ventures Ltd has awarded a $15 million equipment contract to Swedish telecoms Comp. Ericsson
-Bharti Televentures announced formation of new 'strategic business unit' to offer various telecom & IT services through a single contact
-Bharti Televentures unveiled a mobile portal featuring sports, entertainment & news among others
-Airtel ties up with Micro Tech to set up 'Mcops' vehicle security system
-Bharti Tele-Venture on July 19 launched ring back tone service which is a personalized mobile music service where the caller hears songs & other sound clips instead of traditional switchboard 'ring-ring' tone
-Airtel, a private telecom services provider, has commissioned its first 24x7 customer service centre in Andhra Pradesh
-Airtel unveils Rs 199 pre paid card
-AirTel join hands with NMIMS to offer executive MBA programme
-AirTel introduces new scheme for hearing impaired in Maharashtra and Goa
-AirTel inks pact with JP Mobile
- Rolls out Enhanced Data Rate for Global Evolution [EDGEs] network in Pune on September 9, 2004, Ties up with Nokia for sale of Nokia 6230, an EDGE-enabled handset.
-AirTel unveils first virtual calling cards in India
-BTVL rolls out EDGE services in Bangalore
-Airtel rolls out Full Talktime Advantage card
-Airtel rolls out wi-fi services in Mumbai
-BTVL launches new 'Airtel Broadband Friendly Offer'
-Airtel launches GPRS services for pre-paid customers
-Airtel partners with ITPO to set up Wi-Fi network in Delhi
-Airtel launches EDGE services & a new pre-paid plan for Chennai
-Airtel introduces LAS in Karnataka
2005
-Airtel launches video services for its GPRS customers on February 22, 2005
-Airtel unveils new TV ad featuring Sachin, Sharukh
-Bharti Tele-Ventures launches telecom network in Andaman and Nicobar
-BTVL unveil fixed line, broadband services
-Bharti inks $125-m deal with Nokia for rural network expansion
-Bharti Tele Ventures Ltd has announced that Airtel, ICICI Bank and VISA have joined hands to launch mChq - a revolutionary new service - a credit card on the mobile phone
-Bharti Tele Ventures - Airtel introduces BlackBerry Connect in India
-Bharti Tele Ventures announces agreement with Vodafone
-Airtel unveils 'free flight' offer
-Airtel unveils starter pack
-Bharti Tele-Ventures launches under sea cable system
2006
-Airtel unveils Re 1 STD plans
-Airtel launches NetXpert.
-Airtel launches Post2Pre recharging service on April 04,2006.
-Airtel sets up customer centre
-Mobile service provider Airtel today announced the launch of `Save My Phone Contact' service for its pre-paid & post-paid customers in Delhi
-Bharti Tele Ventures bags 'Wireless Service Provider of Year' and 'Competitive Service Provider of Year' awards
-Sunil Mittal bags CEO of Year award
-Cellebrum join hands with Airtel
-Airtel Mega unveiled in Coimbatore
-Airtel joins hand with Microsoft
-Bharti Airtel Ltd has informed that Microsoft & the Comp. announced a strategic partnership that will offer a range of software & services for small & medium businesses [SMBss] in India.
-Bharti Airtel Ltd on Nov 8, announced a first-of-its-kind alliance with the Adani Group for establishing an end-to-end modern telecommunication network infrastructure for latter multi-sector special economic zone [SEZs], located near Mundra Port in Kutch district of Gujarat.
2007
-Bharti Airtel, telecom major, has come out with a slew of initiatives including buying out SingTel 50 per cent stake in joint venture under sea cable Comp. Network i2i for $110 million.
-Bharti Airtel on Feb 11, has been awarded QCI-DL Shah National Award on Economics of Quality.
-Bharti Airtel Ltd has announced the following changes in the operational leadership structure & roles in the Comp. effective April 01, 2007.
-Bharti Airtel Ltd on April 01, 2007, has announced the reduction in International Long Distance Tariffs [ISDs] for all its mobile customers in India.
-Airtel signs agreement with HTC for touch screen mobile.
2008
- Nokia Siemens Networks on Jan 3 declared that it has been awarded a multi million euro contract from Bharti Airtel Ltd for deployment of single interactive voice response [IVRs] platform across 23 circles. The three-year turnkey contract comprises designing, planning, systems integration & optimisation services to raise overall customer experience. The new IVR solution will enable Airtel to deliver services such as voice SMS, televoting, call management services, caller ring back tone & voice portal on a faster time-to-market basis and, therefore, reduce OPEX costs.
- Bharti Airtel Ltd on February 13, 2008 has announced that it has achieved the 60 million customer mark. This landmark has catapulted Bharti Airtel into the club of top mobile operators in the world in terms of subscriber base. The 60 million customer base covers mobile as well as fixed line & broadband customers.
- Bharti Airtel tied up with US-based Apple Inc to bring the popular GSM-based iPhone in the country.
- Bharti Airtel Ltd has forged a technology alliance with Infosys Technologies Ltd to launch its Direct-to-Home [DTHs] television services. Infosys, through its digital convergence platform, will offer a suite of products including devices, application servers & interactive applications for Airtel DTH services.
