Bharti Airtel has achieved a significant milestone by reaching 650 million customers globally, positioning itself as the world’s second-largest telecom operator in terms of subscriber base. Led by Sunil Bharti Mittal, the company has a strong presence in both India and Africa. In India, Airtel boasts over 368 million mobile users, as per GSMA Intelligence data, along with 13 million fixed broadband connections and 15 million Digital TV customers.
In Africa, Airtel Africa, a subsidiary of Bharti Airtel, serves 179 million customers spread across 14 countries. The company offers a range of services including high-speed data, voice services, and mobile money solutions, with a significant user base of over 52 million relying on its financial services platform. Despite this global success, Airtel remains the second-largest telecom operator in India, trailing behind Reliance Jio, which surpassed 500 million subscribers last year but operates solely within the country.
Gopal Vittal, the Executive Vice Chairman of Airtel, expressed that achieving 650 million customers is a substantial responsibility, emphasizing the company’s commitment to enhancing customer experience through innovation and reliable services. Airtel’s goal is to establish elevated standards within the telecom industry. Additionally, the company has been proactive in technological advancements, being among the first to introduce 5G services in India.
A report by Kotak Equities revealed that Airtel’s subscriber base has been steadily growing, with a compound annual growth rate of 2.9% between FY21 and FY26. Notably, the data subscriber base has shown even faster growth at 9.7%, indicating an increase in higher-value customers. The report also pointed out significant growth potential, particularly in rural areas and mobile broadband services. Approximately 20% of Airtel’s users are still on 2G and 3G networks, presenting an opportunity for the company to transition customers to faster and more premium services.
