iWorld
Reliance Jio places €7 million order with Saft for battery systems
MUMBAI: Reliance Jio Infocomm has placed an order worth €7 million with Saft for the supply of its state-of-the-art Evolion lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery systems, to support the next phase in India’s 4G/LTE (Long Term Evolution) roll-out programme.
Reliance Jio Infocomm is currently the only pan-Indian 4G/LTE operator.
This new order builds on the success of past orders placed in 2013 and 2014 by Reliance Jio Infocomm for Saft’s Evolion systems, for an amount of €50 million.
These batteries have now been rolled out in more than 16,000 4G/LTE Base Transceiver Station (BTS) sites across India, where they provide backup power in case of interruption of the main power supply, guaranteeing total continuity and availability of Reliance Jio Infocomm’s mobile network.
India’s vast geography and wide range of climate conditions represent a significant technical challenge for batteries. The Evolion battery concept has been developed to ensure reliability and service life for telecom installations operating at temperatures in the range of – 40 degree C to + 75 degree C and in high humidity conditions.
In addition, Evolion is also around half the size and only one quarter of the weight of a conventional telecom battery, freeing up space and making it easier and safer for operators to transport, handle and install.
“Our backup battery systems play a key role in guaranteeing the reliability of telecom networks at all times, which is crucial to the successful expansion of 4G/LTE services. I am thrilled by Reliance Jio Infocomm’s renewed trust in Saft’s Evolion modules, which again demonstrates the quality of our backup battery systems and their ability to ensure reliability and maximize life of service for our clients’ infrastructures in the most challenging conditions,” said Saft’s Industrial Battery Group general manager Xavier Delacroix.
To support the intensive deployment of the Evolion battery systems, Saft is also providing a dedicated service for RJIL for life cycle support across the entire installed base. Deliveries are scheduled to take place during the second quarter of 2015.
iWorld
Netflix cuts jobs in product division amid restructuring
Layoffs hit creative studio unit as leadership and strategy shifts unfold.
MUMBAI: The streaming wars may be fought on screen, but the latest plot twist is unfolding behind the scenes. Netflix has reportedly begun laying off several dozen employees from its product division as part of an internal reorganisation, according to a report by Variety. The cuts are believed to have primarily affected the company’s creative studio unit, which works on marketing assets such as in app trailers, promotional visuals and live experience content for the streaming platform.
The company has not disclosed the exact number of employees impacted.
According to the report, the layoffs were not tied to employee performance. Instead, the restructuring eliminated certain roles while other employees were reassigned to different teams within the organisation.
The roles affected are understood to include designers, producers and creative specialists responsible for marketing and brand experience initiatives.
The job cuts come as Netflix adjusts its leadership structure and reshapes its product and creative teams. Last month, Elizabeth Stone was promoted from chief technology officer to chief product and technology officer, giving her oversight of product, engineering and data operations across the company.
Earlier, in December 2025, Netflix also appointed Martin Rose as head of creative for global brand and partnerships, a move seen as part of a broader restructuring of the company’s brand and product functions.
Despite the layoffs, Netflix remains one of the largest employers in the streaming sector. The company is estimated to employ around 16,000 people globally, with roughly 70 percent of its workforce based in the United States and Canada. In 2023, the company reported approximately 13,000 employees, indicating that its headcount had grown significantly before the latest restructuring.
The workforce changes arrive at a time when Netflix is navigating a shifting financial and strategic landscape in the global entertainment industry.
The streaming giant recently secured $2.8 billion in additional cash after receiving a breakup fee from Paramount Skydance following its withdrawal from a deal involving Warner Bros. Discovery.
Speaking to Bloomberg, Netflix co chief executive Ted Sarandos explained that the company had evaluated multiple scenarios during the negotiations but chose not to match the competing offer once it learned that a higher bid had been submitted.
Netflix had capped its offer at $27.75 per share and ultimately stepped back rather than pursue Paramount’s $111 billion acquisition deal, which included a personal guarantee.
Sarandos also cautioned that the financing structure behind the Paramount Skydance transaction could have ripple effects across the entertainment industry.
According to him, the debt heavy deal could trigger significant cost cutting, with David Ellison, chief executive of Paramount Skydance, expected to eliminate about $16 billion in costs and potentially cut thousands of jobs as part of the integration process.
For Netflix, the current restructuring appears to be part of a broader attempt to streamline operations while continuing to invest in product, technology and global content even as the streaming industry enters a new phase of consolidation and financial discipline.
