iWorld
Bharti Airtel added 17.06 mn subscribers in 2021: Trai
Mumbai: Bharti Airtel’s wireless subscribers increased and stood at 17.06 million last year, as per the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (Trai) performance indicator report for 2021. Its subscriber base surged from 338.71 million to 355.77 million with yearly growth rate of 5.07 per cent.
Reliance Jio continued to be the market leader with 36 per cent market share of total wireless telephone subscriber base followed by Bharti Telemedia at 30.81 per cent. Reliance Jio added only 6.94 million subscribers during the year bringing its subscriber count from 408.77 million to 415.72 million at a growth rate of 1.70 per cent.
On the other hand, Vodafone Idea lost 18.74 million subscribers during the year, bringing its subscriber base from 284.26 million to 265.51 million. The company saw a 6.59 per cent rate of decline.
Reliance Jio had the greatest number of rural wireless subscribers at 179.93 million, as per the data. It was followed by Bharti Airtel at 170.15 million and Vodafone Idea at 134.33 million.
The total number of wireless subscribers increased from 1153.77 million to 1154.62 million with a net addition of 0.85 million wireless subscribers.
Internet penetration
The number of internet subscribers in India increased from 795.18 million to 829.30 million, as per the report. It showed that the total number of broadband internet subscribers increased from 747.41 million to 792.08 million and the number of wireless internet subscribers increased from 769.64 million to 802.72 million.
Out of total broadband subscribers, 26.43 million are wired broadband subscribers while 765.65 million are wireless broadband subscribers.
More than 96 per cent of total internet subscribers use wireless mobile technology to access internet services, as per Trai data.
The number of rural internet subscribers increased from 308.17 million to 333.10 million and the number of urban internet subscribers also increased from 487.01 million to 496.20 million.
Reliance Jio Infocomm was the biggest internet service provider with 50.68 per cent market share and 420.28 million subscribers. It was followed by Bharti Airtel with 27.81 per cent share and 230.65 million subscribers. Vodafone Idea had 16.43 per cent share 136.25 million subscribers.
Revenue and usage
The average revenue per user (ARPU) from wireless subscribers in the telecom sector increased from Rs 94.87 in 2020 to Rs 108.40 an increase of 14.25 per cent.
The share of prepaid subscribers declined from 95.21 per cent to 93.62 per cent in 2021.
Revenue from data usage per subscriber increased from Rs 81.81 in 2020 to Rs 96.71 in 2021. The total volume of wireless data usage increased from 103,522 million GB to 135,657 million GB with a yearly growth of 31.04 per cent.
The average revenue per user for wireless data usage per data subscriber per month has been in an upward trend since 2014 where it stood at Rs 71.25 climbing till Rs 139 in 2021.
The average wireless data usage per wireless data subscriber per month increased from 11.76 GB during the year 2020 to 14.04 GB during the year 2021.
iWorld
Uber spotlights Rs 25 bike rides with music led IPL campaign
Uber uses 15 second music films with Divine and Roll Rida to push Rs 25 rides
MUMBAI: In a season where ads usually swing for sixes with celebrity spectacle, Uber has chosen to play a clever single sharp, fast, and straight to the point. Uber has rolled out a distinctly stripped-down IPL campaign, putting its product Uber Bike rides starting at Rs 25 for up to 3 km front and centre, rather than leaning on big-budget storytelling. The campaign features hip-hop artist Divine in Mumbai and Roll Rida in southern markets, using music as the primary vehicle for recall.
IPL advertising has long been dominated by high-production narratives packed with cricketers and film stars. Uber’s approach flips that playbook. Instead of elaborate storytelling, the brand opts for 15-second music-led films quick, rhythmic bursts designed to mirror the pace of urban mobility itself.
The message is deliberately simple, affordable, fast rides that cut through city traffic. No layered plots, no extended build-up just a functional promise delivered with cultural flair.
In the Mumbai-led film, Divine zips through traffic on an Uber Bike, turning the Rs 25 price point into a hook with his signature wordplay around “pachisi”. The campaign cleverly reframes affordability as a moment of delight, the kind that leaves commuters with a “32-teeth smile” after beating traffic at minimal cost.
Meanwhile, Roll Rida’s version leans into southern sensibilities, blending Telugu and Tamil influences with high-energy visuals. Set to the beat of tape drums, the film celebrates how low-cost rides can unlock a more connected and vibrant city experience. Together, the films reflect a conscious push towards regional authenticity, rather than a one-size-fits-all national narrative.
The campaign also signals Uber’s sharper focus on India’s growing bike taxi segment. While the company offers multi-modal services spanning cars, autos, metro integrations and intercity travel, this push zeroes in on two-wheelers as a key growth lever in dense urban markets.
By anchoring the campaign around a Rs 25 entry price for short distances, Uber is targeting everyday commuters, particularly younger users navigating congested cities where speed and cost matter more than comfort.
With IPL advertising clutter at its peak, even the most straightforward message risks getting lost. Uber’s answer is to embed the proposition within culture using music, regional nuance and repeat-friendly short formats to drive recall. The creative team has also layered subtle visual cues including multiple references to “25” within frames encouraging repeat viewing and reinforcing the core message without over-explaining it.
The campaign reflects a broader shift in advertising priorities. As attention spans shrink and media environments get noisier, brands are increasingly favouring clarity over complexity and speed over scale.
Uber’s IPL play may not shout the loudest, but it lands where it matters in the everyday commute. Because sometimes, in a marketplace full of grand narratives, a Rs 25 ride is story enough.
