Jio launch to Ring in Consolidation

In a freewheeling interview given to Business Standard, Founder & Chairman of Bharti Enterprises Sunil Mittal admitted that Mukesh Ambani's ambitious Jio launch will result in a shake-up in the sector. Smaller players will struggle to cope with the onslaught, he said. 

 

Given Jio's free voice services and dirt-cheap data offerings, Mittal warned, a consolidation, on a scale not seen before, is around the corner. The disruption, he said, was long overdue. He, however, dismissed threats to Bharti's own market share from Jio's entry. Bharti's aspiration, he maintained, would be to increase and ' not yield market share '. Although Jio's tariffs plans were on expected lines, Mittal admits, adding voice into the mix and making it free was unexpected. 

 

Giving Jio's data-push a big thumbs-up, Mittal said that making things free can't be considered 'innovation.' He emphasised that what Jio has done is offer smart new packaging for the lower-end packs. But Bharti was the first on the scene with 4G market, he said, having launched its first 4G network in 2012. 

 

Get live News Updates visit us at Ripples Advisory or One Missed Call on @98-27-80-80-90