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Airtel Hits 650 Million Global Users, 368 Million in India, Eyes Digital Inclusion

Bharti Airtel has surpassed 650 million customers globally, with 368 million mobile users in India and 179 million across 14 African countries. The company credits its growth to its expanding digital services, including 5G Plus, Xstream AirFiber, and IPTV, serving millions of homes. In Africa, Airtel Money, with over 52 million users, is central to its strategy, enabling financial inclusion through banking and payments. Airtel is also partnering with satellite firms like Eutelsat OneWeb and SpaceX to extend broadband connectivity to remote areas.

Key Points: Airtel Reaches 650M Global Customers, 368M in India

  • Crossed 650 million global customers
  • 368 million mobile users in India
  • 179 million users across 14 African nations
  • Airtel Money drives financial inclusion with 52M+ users
  • Partnerships with Eutelsat OneWeb and SpaceX for satellite broadband
2 min read

Airtel achieves milestone of 650 million global customers, 368 million in India

Bharti Airtel crosses 650 million global customers, with 368 million in India, driven by 5G, digital services, and Africa's Airtel Money platform.

"Achieving the milestone of 650 million customers... is a great responsibility for us to serve our customers better every day. - Gopal Vittal"

New Delhi, April 2

Bharti Airtel on Wednesday announced that it has crossed the milestone of 650 million customers globally.

According to an exchange filing, the telecom major, with operations spanning across India and Africa, attributed the growth to its expanding digital services portfolio and robust infrastructure capabilities.

In India, Bharti Airtel has 368 million mobile customers, while its Africa operations account for 179 million users across 14 countries. The company noted that it was the first in India to roll out 5G Plus services and continues to anchor a converged digital ecosystem, including Xstream AirFiber (FWA) and integrated IPTV services.

"Airtel now serves over 13 million homes with high-speed internet services and over 15 million through our Digital TV offering. This 'customer-obsessed' innovation is supported by the world's first network-based AI spam protection solution," the company said in its press release.

Highlighting its presence in Africa, the company said it provides a vital digital lifeline through integrated mobile voice, high-speed data, and international roaming services. It added that Airtel Money, its mobile financial platform with over 52 million users, is central to its regional strategy and is driving financial inclusion by enabling banking and instant payments for millions of unbanked individuals.

The company further said it is working to bridge the digital divide through partnerships with Eutelsat OneWeb and SpaceX, leveraging Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellations to deliver high-speed, low-latency broadband connectivity to remote maritime, aviation, and rural areas.

"Achieving the milestone of 650 million customers to be the second largest operator globally is a great responsibility for us to serve our customers better every day. This is why we invest in state-of-the-art technologies to not only provide connectivity but to also deliver a safe network," Gopal Vittal, Executive Vice Chairman, Bharti Airtel, said.

As of 0217 IST, shares of the company were trading 0.5 per cent lower at Rs 1,772.60 on the National Stock Exchange.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Shreya B
Great achievement, but as a customer, I wish the customer service was as robust as their infrastructure. Sometimes resolving a simple billing issue takes multiple calls. The network is good, but the post-sales experience needs work.
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Aman W
Airtel Money in Africa is a game changer! Financial inclusion through telecom is brilliant. Hope they bring similar innovative payment solutions here too, beyond just UPI. The potential is huge.
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Priyanka N
Second largest operator globally is no small feat. Competing with the likes of China Mobile and Vodafone. The AirFiber for homes is a good alternative where traditional broadband is unreliable. More power to them!
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David E
Interesting to see the scale. 179 million users in Africa is impressive expansion. Partnerships with SpaceX and OneWeb for satellite internet could be a real disruptor, especially for remote areas in India. The digital divide is a real challenge.
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Karthik V
The AI spam protection is a blessing! Getting far fewer scam calls now. It's these small, customer-focused features that build loyalty. Hope they continue to invest in such tech. Good going, Airtel!

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