The Aditya Birla Group: A Premium Global Corporation

A US $41 billion (Rs. 2, 50,000 crore) corporation, the Aditya

Birla Group is in the League of Fortune 500. Anchored by an
extraordinary force of over 120,000 employees, belonging to 42
nationalities. Over 50 per cent of its revenues flow from its
overseas operations spanning 36 countries.
The Aditya Birla Group has been ranked fourth in the world and
first in Asia Pacific in the Top Companies for Leaders study
2011, conducted by Aon Hewitt, Fortune Magazine and RBL (a
strategic HR and leadership Advisory firm). The Group has
topped the Nielsen's Corporate Image Monitor 2014-15 and
emerged as the Number one corporate, the 'Best in Class', for the
third consecutive year.

Our Vision
To be a premium global conglomerate, with a clear focus on
each of the businesses.
Our Mission
To deliver superior value to our customers, shareholders,
employees and society at large.
Companies

A US $41 billion corporation, the Aditya Birla Group is in the

League of Fortune 500. It is anchored by an extraordinary force
of over 120,000 employees, belonging to 42 different
nationalities.

Idea Cellular Limited

Idea Cellular is an Aditya Birla Group Company, India's first

truly multinational corporation. Idea is a pan-India integrated
GSM operator offering 2G and 3G services, and has its own
NLD and ILD operations, and ISP license. With revenue of Rs.
31,571 crore; revenue market share of nearly 17.5 per cent; and
subscriber base of over 161 million in FY 2013, Idea is Indias
third largest mobile operator. Idea ranks among the top 10
country operators in the world with a traffic of over 1.5 billion
minutes a day.
Ideas robust pan-India coverage is built on a network of over
100,000 2G and 3G cell sites, spread across over 55,000 towns
in India.
Using the latest in technology, Idea provides world-class service
delivery through the most extensive network of customer touch
points, comprising nearly 4,500 exclusive Idea outlets, and over
7,000 call centre seats. Ideas customer service delivery platform
is ISO 9001:2008 certified, making it the only operator in the
country to have this standard certification for all 22 service areas
and the corporate office.
Idea has consistently stayed ahead of the industry in VLR
reporting. Ideas thought leadership on Mobile Number
Portability (MNP) has enabled it to stay as the top gainer with
the highest net gain. Every 4th mobile user who exercises choice
through MNP prefers Idea.
Idea offers a range of high-speed mobile broadband devices
including Android based 3G smartphones, dongles etc. Ideas
wide portfolio of 3G smartphones offer the latest in 3G

applications and high-end data services such as Idea TV, games,

social networking etc. at affordable prices.
Idea has been a pioneer in introducing customized product
offerings for segmented customers. It is the first mobile operator
to introduce innovative value added services in the Indian
telephony market, and has remained ahead of the industry in
data product offerings.
Idea has received several national and international recognitions
for its path-breaking innovations in mobile telephony products
and services. Idea won the prestigious NDTV Business
Leadership Award in the telecom category for its solid,
consistent performance in 2012. It was the winner of ET
Telecom Awards 2012, in the categories Customer
Experience Enhancement, Excellence in Marketing, and
Innovative Products. Idea also won the Best Ad Campaign of
the Year award for the popular Honey Bunny campaign at the
Tele.Net Telecom Awards 2012.
Idea won the Best Brand Campaign at the esteemed World
Communication Awards in 2012 and 2011. It also won the GSM
Association Award for Best Billing and Customer Care
Solution for two consecutive years, and was awarded Mobile
Operator of the Year Award India for 2007 and 2008 at the
Annual Asian Mobile News Awards.
Idea is listed on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and the
Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) in India.
Idea Cellular Mobile network Operator Company

Idea Cellular is an Indian mobile network operator based in

Mumbai, Maharashtra. Idea is a pan-India integrated GSM
operator offering 2G, 3G and 4G mobile services. Idea is Indias
third largest mobile operator by subscriber base.
Customer service: 1800 270 0000
Stock price: IDEA (NSE) 112.65 -1.15 (-1.01%)
CEO: Himanshu Kapania
Headquarters: Santacruz, Mumbai
Founded: 1995
Revenue: 320 billion INR (2015)
Parent organizations: Aditya Birla Group, Axiata, Providence
Equity Partners
Founders: Aditya Vikram Kumar Mangalam Birla, G. D. Birla
HISTORY
1995:
Incorporated

as

Birla

Communications

Limited

Obtained licenses for providing GSM-based services in the

Gujarat and Maharashtra Circles following the original GSM
license
bidding
process
1996:
Changed name to Birla AT&T Communications Limited
following joint venture between Grasim Industries and AT&T
Corporation

1997:
Commenced operations in the Gujarat and Maharashtra Circles
1999:
Migrated to revenues share license fee regime under New
Telecommunications
Policy
(NTP)
2000:
Merged with Tata Cellular Limited, thereby acquiring original
license
for
the
Andhra
Pradesh
Circle
2001:
Acquired RPG Cellular Limited and consequently the license for
the Madhya Pradesh (including Chattisgarh) Circle
Changed

name

to

Birla

Tata

AT&T

Limited

2001:
Obtained license for providing GSM-based services in the Delhi
Circle following the fourth operator GSM license bidding
process
2002:
Changed name to Idea Cellular Limited and launched Idea
brand name . Commenced commercial operations in Delhi

Circle.

Reached

the

one

million

subscriber

mark

2003:
Reached

the

two

million

subscriber

mark

2004:
Completed debt restructuring for the then existing debt facilities
and
additional
funding
for
the
Delhi
Circle.
Acquired
Escotel
Mobile
Communications
Limited
(subsequently renamed as Idea Mobile Communications
Limited)
Reached

the

four

million

subscriber

mark

First operator in India to commercially launch EDGE services

2005:
-Reached
-Turned

the

five

million
profit

subscriber

mark
positive

-Won an award for the Bill Flash service at the GSM

Association Awards in Barcelona, Spain Sponsored the
International
Indian
Film
Academy
Awards
-Sponsored the International Indian Film Academy Awards

2006:
-Became part of the Aditya Birla Group subsequent to the TATA
Group transferring its entire shareholding in the Company to the
Aditya
Birla
Group
-Acquired Escorts Telecommunications Limited (subsequently
renamed
as
Idea
Telecommunications
Limited)
-Restructuring

of

-Launch
-Reached

of
the

the
10

million

debt
New
subscriber

Circles
mark

-Received Letter of Intent from the DoT for a new UAS License
for
the
Mumbai
Circle.
-Received Letter of Intent from the DoT for a new UAS License
for
the
Bihar
-Circle through Aditya Birla Telecom Limited. ABNL, the
parent
of
Aditya
-Birla Telecom Limited, pursuant to a letter dated November 22,
2006, agreed to transfer its entire shareholding in Aditya Birla
Telecom Limited to the Company for the consideration of Rs.
100
million.
2007

-Won an award for the "CARE" service in the "Best Billing or

Customer Care Solution" at the GSM Association Awards in
Barcelona, Spain -Initial Public Offering aggregating to Rs.
28,187 million and Listing of Equity Shares on the Bombay
Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange -Merger of
seven subsidiaries with Idea Cellular Limited -Reached the
twenty
million
subscriber
mark
2008
- Idea Cellular Ltd has informed that the Board of Directors of
the Company at its meeting held on October 20, 2008, inter alia,
has appointed the following persons as Directors on the Board of
the
Company:
1. Mr. R C Bhargava - Independent Director (Additional
Director)
2. Mr. P Murari - Independent Director - (Additional Director)
3. Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya - Non Executive Director (Nominee of
TM
International
Bhd).
-Idea acquired 9 licenses for Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu &
Chennai, West Bengal, Orissa, Kolkata, Assam, North East and
Jammu
&
Kashmir
-Acquired Spice Communications with the operating circles of
Punjab
and
Karnataka
-Launched services in Mumbai metro in the largest single metro

city

launch,

-Launched

ever

services

in

Bihar

2009
-Subscriber base as on December 31, 2009: 57,611,872
-Idea

becomes

pan-India

operator

-Emerging Company of the Year - fastest growing mobile

operator in the worlds fastest growing telecom market
- IDEA wins prestigious Golden Peacock Award 2008 for My
Gang
- IDEA and Babajob launch a unique WAP portal for job seekers
in
the
informal
sector
- Firstsource & Idea announce a five-year Outsourcing
Partnership.
2010
- Idea Cellular - Auction of 2.1 GHz band (3G Spectrum)
-

Idea

Cellular

ties

up

with

Indian

Railways

- Idea cellular wants to provide 3G services in 4 circles out of

the 11 that it has, for the same it has contacted Nokia Siemens
Networks for deployment of equipment and services.

- Nation gives a thumbs up to Idea Oongli Cricket

- IDEA Cellular recognized as the 'Most Customer Responsive
Company' in the Telecom sector by Avaya Global Connect
2011
- In order to provide assistance to 700 million mobile users
regarding the services of mobile number portability, idea cellular
has started a helpline number just before the three days of its
launch.
- Launch of 'Idea MyCash', Powered by Axis Bank
- Idea introduces special International Roaming offer
- Idea user becomes first Indian to win Panchkoti Mahamoney
on
KBC
- Idea wins Best Brand Campaign at the prestigious World
Communication
Awards
2011
2012
- Department of Telecom (DoT) has said that the proposal of
Malaysia based Axiata group to raise 1 per cent stake in Idea
cellular to 21 per cent would not create any fresh security threat
for
the
country.
- Idea Cellular declared as winner in 2G Spectrum auction

- Idea, one of the leading telecom brands in India, continues to

buzz in the global arena! It has now bagged the prestigious
World Communication Awards 2012 (WCA) under the Best
Brand Campaign category at the recently held awards ceremony
in
London.
- Idea Cellular launched its new communication campaign, with
a catchy jingle which has immediately gone viral! Idea Rings
All India, the new advertisement from Idea, depicts the
diversity, footprint, and seamlessness of our country, and how
Ideas customers benefit from its pan-India network.
- Idea wins at the prestigious World Communication Awards
2012,
second
year
consecutively
- Ivory from Idea most affordable Android 4.0 Smartphone
launched
in
India.
2013 -Idea Cellular Ltd Signs Unified License with the
Department of Telecommunications -Idea Cellular introduces
buffet
plans
for
post-paid
subscribers
2014 -Idea wins 900 MHz for Delhi, and 4G in 8 strategic
markets -Idea Cellular Ltd Board recommends Dividend
2015 -Microsoft has tied with Idea Cellular to launch operator
billing on the Windows Store for Idea subscribers -Idea Cellular
Ltd has successfully retained the crucial 900 MHz spectrum and
won 54 MHz of 900 MHz spectrum -Videocon
Telecommunications sold its spectrum in Gujarat and UP (West)

circles to Idea Cellular at a valuation of Rs 3,310 crore -Idea

launches world-class, high-speed 4G LTE services in all four
Telecom service areas of South India -Idea Cellular launches 4G
in all 5 states of South India, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka,
Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana
How to launch a product(VAS)-There is a process to
launch a VASNeed identification
Product financial workouts
Approval requirements
Product launch
Regulatory process

Post launch

1.

Need identification-In this we have to identify the needs

of the company and customers. In idea cellular they have to
find out the needs of the company and subscribers. There
are many methods through which we identify the need.
Such as-

 Competition
Target segment
Increase revenue
Interviewing stakeholders
Conducting voice of customers survey
Analyzing cause and effect relationships
2. Product financial workouts-In this process a company
identify many things like Which segment they have to target
Approx. how many subscribers adopt this
product?
At which price they have to launch that product.
How much cost it incurs.
It should fulfill all corporate guidelines
Decide product should be open for all or
segmented.

3. Approval requirements Product should be approved by corporate.

Product should be approved by all department
heads like-sales, Finance, Marketing

Configuration-In this it is compulsory to configure the

product. There is proper format to configure the product. It is
only used in VAS product.
After configuration process the product is test by the
RA (revenue assurance).

4. Product launch-In this, after configuration of product

they launch the product and send a formal mail to all
stakeholders, call center, customer care center, etc.

In this they also discuss about how to promote their product by using
techniques like-

Advertisement-it is further classified into 2 parts:

External advertisement
Internal advertisement

5. Regulatory process-It is regulated by TRAI (telecom

regulatory authority of India).It is an independent regulator. In
this process company has to inform TRAI about the product
within 7 days.

6. Post launch-in this last process, company or the

marketing department compares the actual performance with the
planned performance.
Data launch-In this company understand how and why to
launch data pack and provide to the subscribers. They decide
by the usage of data used by the subscribers.
Suppose we take an example-

 The company has total 1L subscribers in which they

select 25k subscribers on the basis of past assumption
and take 15k new subscribers.
Past assumption is done by how many subscribers use
data after 12:00am to 6:00am.
To the above subscribers they given free usage to
them.
In the next process they analyze the revenue which
comes from the usage. Like existing subscribers use
100mb and new subscribers use 125mb.
After analyze they calculate ARMB i.e. Average Rate
Per Mb which is calculated by formulaRevenue / usage
There are different strategies for existing subscribers and new
subscribers.
For new subscribers- co. use FR (first
recharge). In this, co. provides data
according to subscribers investment. How
much money subscriber wants to invest?
For existing subscribers- co. use according
to the previous usage of data.
Impacts-In this they find the impacts which comes from the
calculation when they launch new data.
They works on Incremental usage
Incremental revenue
ARMB

Posts launch-In this they compare planned performance

with the actual performance after 1 month.
In this they provide offers in 2 ways-

Open
Segmented
In open data they provide same offer to all
subscribers at the same rate.
In segmented data they provide data offer to the
selected subscribers. The subscribers is selected
done after many assumptions like In a month how many times subscriber
recharge their data.
According to the price of the data pack
which data pack they used.
Launch Voice productIn this there are 2 types of voice calls Outgoing calls
Incoming calls
In this, to calculate revenue they have to consider 3 factors User base(no. of customers)
Minutes of usage
Rate of return
Formula-revenue=user base*mou*rate

There is a base rate (special tariff vouchers) which is given

to the subscribers. It consider 3 thingso MRP-at what price this offer is given.
o Calls-how many minutes is given in this offer.
o Validity-for how many days this offer is given.
There are 2 types of user uses STV (special tariff
vouchers) Segmented-segmented are those users who get
discount. The tariff is given to the particular
subscribers who are low ARPU (Average revenue
per user).
ARPU means revenue which comes after uses of
tariff by the users.
Non segmented-In this, tariff is given to all users
or who are high ARPU.
After that, they analyze which tariff is given to
the user?
For this, first they have to find out
maximum calls done by user among 3
category-idea 2 idea
-idea 2 others
-STD calls
Suppose maximum calls done idea 2 idea
then company provide tariff according to
that.

 After analyze they find out how to communicate

with the users? How to tell them about the tariff?
For that there are some waysa) Through sms-in this they send sms to the
particular users.
b) OBD-outbound dialer: call the subscribers
for the notification.
c) PCN-post call notification: notification
shows after call ended.
d) Star offer-like 121,122

Process of voice productIdentify the segment

Product
Product profitability
Note for approval
Product communication
Post launch analysis