A.E.A. Jameel, circle business head, B&J, Telenor India
Telenor India is fast expanding its footprint in the country, especially in the Bihar and Jharkhand circle (B&J), where it ranks among the top five operators. A.E.A. Jameel, circle business head, B&J, Telenor India talks about the company’s performance in the circle, the key growth drivers, the challenges faced and the operator’s plans going forward. Excerpts…
How has Telenor India performed in the B&J circle? What is the circle’s contribution to the company’s overall operations?
B&J is one of the best performing circles for Telenor in India. The company ranks among the top five operators in the circle and serves 8.28 million customers here. This constitutes 17 per cent of Telenor India’s total subscriber base. The circle has witnessed 37 per cent growth in its internet user base since November 2014. The company ranked fourth in terms of customer market share and fifth in terms of revenue market share for the quarter ended December 2015.
What are the key growth drivers in the circle? How are Telenor’s strategies for this circle different from those for the rest of the country?
The main growth drivers for Telenor have been its affordable and value-for-money voice and data packs. These are complemented by a wide network of retailers and excellent customer service. These ensure that the customer gets more value for money on every transaction. With the brand transition in September 2015, Telenor India has adopted a new market strategy. Offerings such as free life insurance are a first of its kind. Telenor follows a customer-centric approach and offers superior value to its customers. It has been modernising its network, expanding its retail footprint and introducing products that suit user needs. We have introduced new business processes and models like the multi-lingual self-help menu and an automated interactive voice response system.
What are the challenges that Telenor India faces in the circle?
In a dynamic market like this, delivering high quality services is the key to customer retention. Since users expect value in every purchase, it is important to give them what they are looking for. The main challenge is to constantly deliver on the promises made. We would like to adopt an open-minded approach towards the changing needs of customers and continue to offer value-for-money products.
What are some of the recent initiatives taken by Telenor in the circle and how does it plan to expand its operations here?
Telenor is known for its relevant products, which are simple, fair and easy to use, and available at affordable tariffs. Some of our recent initiatives are as follows:
- Free life insurance (Telenor Suraksha): In a first-of-its-kind initiative, Telenor India came up with a free life insurance scheme for its customers. Under this scheme, a customer can get free insurance of up to Rs 50,000. Over 2.7 million users have already enrolled for it in the B&J circle and nearly a million customers have got insured. As the name suggests, Telenor Suraksha promotes financial security amongst the masses by simplifying the process of enrollment and claims settlement. The insurance scheme is a testimony to our customer-centric approach.
- Network modernisation: Telenor is modernising its telecom network across all circles by replacing its 25,000 base transceiver stations with state-of-the-art equipment that is more efficient and future-ready to launch any technology. The new equipment has higher spectral efficiency of 15-20 per cent and improved indoor coverage; it also reduces power consumption by 20-30 per cent. Further, Telenor India is adding 950 new sites covering over 3,380 rural areas in the circle. This expansion was in addition to the network swap and upgrade happening at the existing 3,235 sites in the B&J circle as part of its modernisation plan. Further, Telenor India is working to create a positive impact on society. We have been consistently trying to empower women. In Patna, Telenor runs DIAL, an all-women call centre. This outbound call centre is managed by a local NGO. DIAL provides employment to over 40 women. Telenor has also set up an all-women call centre in Jamshedpur that was inaugurated last year.
What are your short- and medium-term revenue targets for the circle?
We have been growing consistently and would like to continue on this trajectory in the coming quarters too.
What is your outlook for the Indian telecom industry for 2016?
We expect data to drive the industry’s growth in 2016. However, there is still a large segment of the population that is unconnected and needs basic voice services. We expect to see healthy growth in the 2G voice segment in our circle. The mobile broadband ecosystem will start maturing and smartphone penetration will rise even in rural and semi-urban areas. With the aim of ensuring internet for all and enabling a digital lifestyle, we will be ready with a robust network and relevant services.
