Summary:
Vodafone Idea Limited continues to struggle despite receiving a 10-year deferment on AGR dues, which eases immediate financial pressure but does not solve its core issues. The company lost nearly one million wireless subscribers in December 2025, reducing its market share to 15%, far behind Jio and Airtel, which together hold close to 80%. With churn rates above 4% for several consecutive quarters and additional subscriber losses in the wireline segment, Vi urgently needs to reduce customer attrition and return to subscriber growth to regain stability.
Vodafone Idea Limited (VIL), the country’s third-largest telecom operator, continues to grapple with several unresolved challenges. While the company has witnessed some positive developments lately, they are not sufficient to fully stabilize the business. A major relief came when the government allowed a 10-year deferment on AGR dues payments. With these past liabilities effectively put on hold for the next decade, Vi no longer faces immediate pressure on that front. This move offers meaningful breathing room for the operator. However, one critical concern that investors cannot overlook is the steady decline in its subscriber base.
In December 2025, Vodafone Idea’s wireless subscriber count dropped by nearly one million users, an alarming trend for the company. As per data released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), Vi’s share of the wireless market has now shrunk to just 15%. In contrast, Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel together command nearly 80% of the segment.
For Vodafone Idea, expanding its subscriber base is essential. Even before achieving growth, the company must focus on curbing its churn rate, which remains elevated. Customer attrition has exceeded 4% for multiple consecutive quarters, indicating persistent dissatisfaction among users. The situation is not much better in the wireline business either, where the company holds a minimal market share and also reported subscriber losses in December 2025.
