# 1. Financial Performance ## A. Key Figures * **ARPU:** **₹190** Q4 (+8.3% YoY / +3.2% QoQ) * **EBITDA:** **₹4,889 Cr** Q4 (+4.9% YoY) · **₹19,003 Cr** FY26 (+4.8% YoY) * **Margins:** **43.1%** EBITDA Margin (+80 bps YoY) * **Net Profit:** **₹51,970 Cr** Q4 · **₹34,552 Cr** FY26 (Includes exceptional gain) ## B. Revenue & ARPU * **Operational Milestone:** Achieved the highest average daily revenue in six years, supported by 19 consecutive quarters of ARPU expansion. * **Premiumization Strategy:** Top-line growth is being driven by subscriber upgrades and a focus on high-value users rather than pure volume. * **Network-Led Growth:** Sequential improvements in realizations are attributed to increased network investment and expanded capacity enhancing customer engagement. ## C. EBITDA & Margins * **Profitability Drivers:** Margin expansion to over 43% was supported by strategic network enhancements and improved customer retention. * **Exceptional Bottom-Line Impact:** Reported net profit was heavily skewed by a one-time exceptional gain of **₹55,622 Cr** resulting from a liability reassessment. ## D. Cost Structure * **Efficiency Gains:** Network operating expenses trended lower sequentially, benefiting from a self-optimized network and disciplined cost management. * **Future Cost Curtailment:** Management is executing a formal program targeting SG&A and network costs to improve the conversion of revenue into cash EBITDA. ## E. Debt & Liquidity * **Deleveraging Progress:** Bank debt was reduced significantly to a remaining balance of **₹726 Cr**, while maintaining a healthy cash buffer. * **Three-Year Liquidity Roadmap:** Management targets generating **₹105,000 Cr** in cash through a combination of tripling EBITDA, **₹25,000 Cr** in new funded debt, and rolling credit facilities. --- # 2. Network & Infrastructure ## A. Key Figures * **4G Capacity & Coverage:** **27%+** capacity expansion · **86%+** pan-India population coverage * **5G Footprint:** **80+** cities across **17** circles ## B. 4G & 5G Rollout Strategy * **Stabilizing Subscriber Base:** Targeted network deployments have arrested historical declines, resulting in a flattish subscriber trend despite marginal net additions in the high-speed segment. * **Aggressive 4G Roadmap:** Management plans to deploy **60,000 to 70,000** new sites over the next **12 to 18 months**, aiming to capture an incremental **12.5 crore** population in underserved regions. * **Selective 5G Monetization:** While 5G presence has scaled rapidly to dozens of cities to drive upgrades, Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) deployment will remain highly selective. ## C. Enterprise Connectivity * **Sector-Specific Momentum:** Strong adoption of Cloud, IoT, and Cybersecurity services across BFSI, manufacturing, and government verticals is driving enterprise segment growth. * **Infrastructure Scalability:** Developing a 'Dedicated Enterprise Corridor' with **1.3 Tbps** of incremental capacity across data centers to bolster fixed-line resilience and speed. ## D. Operational Efficiency * **Cost Containment:** Network operating expenses remained nearly flat despite significant site and BTS additions, aided by aggressive network electrification and reduced diesel dependency. --- # 3. Customer & Market Metrics ## A. Key Figures * **Total Subscriber Base:** **192.8 million** Stabilized in Q4FY26 (First Feb/Mar improvement post-merger) * **Data Usage:** **83.0 PB/day** (+30% YoY) · **20.2 GB** Avg. per 4G/5G user (+27.2% YoY) * **VLR Percentage:** **87%–88%** Average (Highs of 92%–93% in top circles) * **Churn Rate:** **~4%** Current level ## B. Subscriber Mix & ARPU Levers * **Smartphone Migration Opportunity:** Management identifies a massive ARPU growth lever in its **33% 2G user base**, which is larger than peers and offers a significant runway for internal upgrades. * **Positive Momentum:** Customer additions turned positive starting February 2026, supported by a narrowing net addition gap and eight consecutive quarters of postpaid growth. * **Premium Segment Growth:** The "Non-stop hero" proposition has delivered robust double-digit sequential growth for three quarters, enhancing the high-value subscriber mix. ## C. Churn & Retention * **Infrastructure Correlation:** Improved retentivity is directly linked to regions with higher network investment; conversely, "patchy" coverage in non-core areas continues to drive multi-SIM churn. * **Stabilization Targets:** The company aims to reduce churn by **0.5% to 0.6%** through aggressive network capacity expansion and population coverage growth. ## D. Data Usage Trends * **Surging Consumption:** Total and per-user data usage saw significant double-digit expansion, reflecting enhanced network experience following the addition of new sites. * **Coverage Expansion:** Growth in data traffic is supported by a population coverage expansion of approximately **4.8 crore people**. ## E. Acquisition Strategy * **Quality Over Quantity:** A deliberate reduction in gross acquisition volumes (from **2.18 Cr** in Q2 to **1.91 Cr** in Q4) reflects a strategic pivot toward high-quality, lower-churn subscribers. * **MNP Market Capture:** With a current **20% share** of the Mobile Number Portability market, the company sees a major opportunity to capture a larger portion of the **1.4 crore** monthly switchers as 4G/5G infrastructure rolls out. * **Cost Efficiency:** Management expects the per-subscriber cost of acquisition to trend lower than the current year despite plans for increased total subscriber growth. --- # 4. Capital Allocation & Funding ## A. Key Figures * **Quarterly Capex:** **₹2,294 Cr** * **FY26 Total Capex:** **₹8,742 Cr** (vs. ₹9,600 Cr YoY) * **3-Year Capex Guidance:** **₹45,000 Cr** * **Total 3-Year Cash Requirement:** **₹100,000 Cr** (Capex: ₹45k Cr | Spectrum: ₹49k Cr | Debt: ₹5-6k Cr) * **Target Debt Financing:** **₹25,000 Cr** funded facility · **₹10,000 Cr** non-funded facility ## B. Capex Intensity & Network Strategy * **Accelerated Spending Outlook:** Management expects a significant ramp-up in capex intensity starting Q1, aligning with the massive three-year investment roadmap to expand capacity. * **Infrastructure Expansion:** Recent investments supported the rollout of **17,300 sites**, utilizing a graded circle-wise approach to stabilize the subscriber base and drive growth. * **Network Investment History:** The company has deployed robust capital over the last six quarters into network initiatives to enhance customer engagement. ## C. Promoter Infusion & Liquidity * **Strategic Alignment:** Aditya Birla Group and Vodafone Group have reached near-equal shareholding; Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla has returned as Non-Executive Chairman to oversee the turnaround. * **Liquidity Buffers:** Beyond equity, the company anticipates **₹10,000 Cr** in additional liquidity from income tax refunds and the CLAM settlement. * **Shareholding Dynamics:** Current holdings stand at **16.07%** for Vodafone plc and **9.57%** for ABG, with shifts expected following warrant and CLAM conversions. ## D. Debt Financing Status * **Lender Engagement:** The company is in advanced discussions with an **SBI-led consortium** (including PSU, private, and foreign banks) to secure the multi-billion rupee funded and non-funded facilities. * **Financing Milestones:** Secured fresh fund-based term loans prior to the AGR reassessment conclusion, which has facilitated deeper engagement with potential lenders. * **Execution Confidence:** While a specific closing date is not set, management expressed high confidence in finalizing the debt raise quickly to support the growth strategy. --- # 5. Product & Digital Innovation ## A. Key Figures * **Nonstop Hero Adoption:** **~25%** QoQ increase in users * Spam Mitigation: **2 Billion+** communications categorized · **250,000** domains blocked ## B. Enterprise & Digital Portfolio * **Portfolio Diversification:** The **Easy+** enterprise suite now integrates financial services via **personal loans**, while the **Vi app** has been enhanced with **AI-driven** plan optimization tools. * **Industry Recognition:** Recent accolades, including the **Asian Telecom Award** for CCaaS and the **Aegis Graham Bell Award** for IoT, underscore a strengthening competitive position in enterprise connectivity. * **Brand Engagement:** High-profile marketing via the **Chennai Super Kings (CSK)** IPL partnership and award-winning safety campaigns (Vi Number Rakshak) continue to drive brand visibility. ## C. Product Performance & 5G Strategy * **Data Monetization:** Robust double-digit growth in the "Nonstop Hero" unlimited data segment is serving as a key lever for higher data consumption and ARPU accretion. * **Network Evolution:** Strategy remains disciplined with a primary focus on **4G/5G mobility** gaps; **Fixed Wireless Access (FWA)** remains in the pilot phase rather than full-scale deployment. --- # 6. Risks & Regulatory Factors ## A. Key Figures * **AGR Accounting Impact:** **₹80,502 Cr** Liability Derecognized · **₹24,880 Cr** Revised Present Value ## B. AGR Liability & Strategic Response * **Significant Liability Reduction:** The DoT reassessment has materially lowered the total AGR burden, providing substantial balance sheet relief through the derecognition of previous provisions. * **Operational Pivot:** With the regulatory overhang resolved, management is pivoting toward aggressive brand reappraisal to regain market share and bolster consumer trust. ## C. Spectrum Obligations & Liquidity * **Near-Term Solvency:** Management maintains that operational EBITDA and existing bank facilities are sufficient to cover all financial commitments through **FY 2029**. * **Long-Term Funding Risks:** While FY27 obligations are secured by promoter capital, the sustainability of payouts from **FY28** remains a concern, potentially necessitating further equity dilution or debt-to-equity conversion by the government. ## D. Credit Ratings * **Credit Profile Improvement:** Reflecting the strengthened financial position, ICRA upgraded the company’s rating to **BBB** with a **Positive** outlook in March 2026. --- # 7. Guidance & Outlook ## A. Key Figures * **Cash EBITDA Margin:** **20.5%** current · **>35%** 3-4 year target * **Revenue Growth:** **Double-digit** target ## B. Strategic Targets & Margin Expansion * **Profitability Levers:** Management expects significant margin expansion driven by improved industry pricing architecture, higher ARPU, and reduced churn in high-capex circles. * **Cost Dynamics:** Future cash EBITDA may face inflationary pressure as the company laps the peak benefits of previous cost-saving initiatives. * **Operational Pivot:** FY27 marks a transition toward sustained net customer additions and site rollouts (4G/5G) following a period of industry-wide structural challenges. ## C. Growth Levers & Market Share * **Monetization Strategy:** Upside potential identified in migrating users to truly unlimited data plans and converting non-data smartphone users. * **Market Expansion:** Strategy focuses on capturing share via Mobile Number Portability (MNP) in underserved markets and expanding population coverage where competitors currently dominate. * **Macro Tailwinds:** Growth is underpinned by favorable demographics, including low rural tele-density and increasing smartphone penetration within a fast-growing economy. * **Competitive Positioning:** Management is targeting subscriber growth in a landscape where the two largest peers have reached near steady-state market share.