Top 10 Telecom Companies in India

Telecom Consultant

Top 10 Telecom Companies in India

Registrationwala

The Telecommunications Industry in India is one of the largest telecom industries in the world. It is divided into various subsectors such as Infrastructure, Equipment, Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MNVO), White Space Spectrum, 5G, Telephone service providers and Broadband. The subscriber base of the Indian Telecom Industry is 1.19Bn as of September 2024, according to Wikipedia. In this blog post, we will discuss the top 10 telecom companies in India. All these companies basically rule the telecom market in our nation. 

List of Top 10 Telecom Companies

So, here is the list of the top 10 telecom companies in India:

1. Bharti Airtel

Founded in 1995, Bharti Airtel is an Indian telecommunications company, having global presence. It is known for its reliable telecom services across the Middle East, Europe, Asia-Pacific, USA and SAARC countries. It is headquartered in New Delhi, India.

Airtel is amongst the top 10 telecom companies in India. Mobile services, digital TV services, home services and Airtel business are the main segments through which Bharti Airtel operates. 

In the home service segment, the telco offers internet and fixed-line telephone services to homes in 700 cities around the country. Using wireless technologies like 2G, 3G, or 4G, it provides voice and data communication services throughout India under the mobile services segment.

Both basic and HD digital TV services with 3D and Dolby Surround Sound are offered by the telco under the Digital TV Services segment. There are 635 channels in all, including 5 overseas stations, 80 HD channels, and 3 interactive services. 

Offering ICT services to around 1,200 multinational corporations, 2,000 major organizations, and 1 million medium-sized and small businesses across India is the main objective of Airtel's business segment. 

2. Tata Communications

Tata Communications was founded in 1986 to take over the activities of the erstwhile Overseas Communication Services (OCS) - a government department. It is one of the oldest and most reputable telecom companies in India. It is based in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It offers a wide range of data transmission and voice services in India.

When it comes to advancing intelligence through the internet of things, mobility, security, network and cloud services, Tata Communications stands out as a leading telecom company. The telco has a solutions-focused approach, modern infrastructure and established managed service capabilities. 

It has the world's largest subsea fiber backbone and a Tier-1 IP network that connects to more than 190 countries and territories. It manages approx. 30% of the world’s internet routes and links businesses to 80% of the world’s major cloud providers.

Tata Communications plays an essential role in assisting industry leaders in transforming the world of communications. It provides safe and connected digital experiences. The telco operates in America, Europe, Asia-Pacific Region and Middle East.

3. Indus Towers

Incorporated in November 2007 by Bharti Infratel, Vodafone Essar, and Idea Cellular, Indus Towers is India's largest mobile tower installation company. It is famous for providing telecom infrastructure services. 3 out of every 5 calls made in India are through an Indus site. 

Indus Towers is engaged in installation, management and ownership of telecom towers and structures which are crucial for various mobile operators. Some services offered by the telco include providing towers, supply of power, space and tower operations centres. Additionally, it provides solutions for smart cities and eco-friendly technology.

It installs the physical infrastructure required for supporting its customers’ active equipment, including transmission links, microwave antennas and base transceiver stations. With the help of electricity from grid or diesel generators, Indus Towers powers its towers. 

As of 30th September, 2024, Indus Towers has 229,658 towers and 379,236 co-locations through which it provides coverage in 22 telecom circles in India.

4. Vodafone Idea

Vodafone Idea is a popular telecom service provider in India. It was created on 31st August, 2018, with the merger of Vodafone India and Idea Cellular - the biggest merger in the Indian telecom industry’s history. It is a partnership between Aditya Birla Group and the Vodafone Group. 

The two brands Vodafone India and Idea Cellular were rebranded as Vodafone Idea (Vi) in September, 2020. Through 2G, 3G and 4G platforms, Vi provides voice and data services to its customers across the country. The company is headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. 

The telco has subsidiaries like Vodafone Idea Business Services Ltd. and Vodafone Idea Manpower Services Ltd. It serves a wide range of clients, including national and international entities, public sector companies, MSMEs, startups, etc. through its business services segment. Further, Vi provides entertainment services such as games, sports content, and utility services like missed call alerts and doctor-on-call facility.

5. BSNL

BSNL full form is Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited. It was formed on 15th September 2000 as a result of corporatization of the Department of Telecom’s services.

With effect from 1st December 2000, BSNL took over the functions of erstwhile Department of Telecom in respect of provision of telecom services across the country’s length and breadth (except Delhi and Mumbai).

The telco is highly experienced in planning, installation, network integration and maintenance of switches and transmission networks. It has a state-of-the-art ISO 9000 certified Telecom Training Institute.

BSNL provides a wide range of telecom services to its customers including wire line services, GSM Mobile Services including 2G, 3G, 4G & Value added Services (VAS), Internet and Broadband services including Fiber to the Home (FTTH), Wi-Fi services, Data Center services, Enterprise Data services such as Leased circuits, VPN, National Long Distance services and International Long Distance Services.

6. MTNL

MTNL full form is Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited. In terms of market share, it is one of the top ISPs in Mumbai and Delhi. MTNL was created as a Public Sector Company under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), and it is owned by the Government of India. 

MTNL is one of the top 10 telcos in India, offering phone and internet services in Mumbai and New Delhi. It was established with the objective of providing access to telephone and internet to residents of New Delhi and Mumbai.

Its headquarters are in New Delhi, where it was established in 1986. As being one of the biggest telecom providers in India, MTNL provides a variety of services, such as broadband internet, leased line services, and landline and mobile phone services. 

Additionally, it provides a number of value-added services, including caller identification, call forwarding, and voicemail. 

7. Reliance Jio

Jio Infocomm Limited, commonly referred to as Jio, is one of the best telecom companies in India. It is a division of the largest Indian company, Reliance Industries, which as of 2023 was placed 88th on the Fortune Global 500 list. 

With 4G services, Jio made its public debut on September 5, 2016, and quickly rose to the top of the Indian mobile telecom market. At the end of 2022, it also started providing 5G services. Jio offers a wide range of digital services including JioMoney, JioMart, JioSign, JioCloud, JioSecurity and JioHealthHub.

Although the firm was formally established in December 2015, its roots may be found in the early 2000s when Infotel Broadband Services Limited, which had won pan-India spectrum in the 4G auction, was purchased by Reliance Industries.

Reliance Jio is led by Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani of Reliance Industries. It is aimed to upend the telecom market by providing high-speed internet services at competitive rates. With a focus on delivering smooth access to both urban and rural areas, the Jio made significant investments in developing a modern 4G LTE network infrastructure throughout the nation. 

By providing a groundbreaking launch offer, providing free voice calls and data services to customers for a limited time, Jio made headlines. Because of this move, millions of subscribers were attracted within a short period of time and the existing telecom operators in the country were under pressure. The aggressive pricing strategy and its marketing campaigns helped it gain market share quickly and set itself apart from other players in the telecom industry.

8. HFCL

HFCL full form in telecom is Himachal Futuristic Communications. It is one of the top telcos in India. It is a global technology company which connects billions of people, systems and devices. 

For over 30 years, the telco has assisted in business transformations by utilizing the power of connectivity. HFCL designs, integrates and delivers modern technology products and solutions. Further, the company specializes in creating digital networks for telecom companies, enterprises and governments.

When it comes to offering sustainable solutions with high technology, HFCL is a trusted partner for many customers. The firm has a strong research and development expertise and global system integration services along with decades of experience in fibre optics. All this helps the telco to deliver innovative digital network solutions necessary for most advanced networks. The in-house R&D centres of HFCL are located in Bengaluru and Gurugram.

The telecom company has developed capabilities to offer high quality optical fibre and optical fibre cables, top notch telecom products like 5G radio access network products, 5G transport products, WiFi systems, unlicensed band radios, switches, routers and software defined radios.

HFCL owns modern optical fibre and cable manufacturing facilities in Hyderabad, Goa and Chennai. It has clients throughout India, Asia Pacific, Europe, Africa, USA and the Middle East. Further, the company has a subsidiary known as HTL Limited. It is motivated to develop innovative solutions for ever changing consumer needs through its dedication to quality and environmental sustainability. 

9. Tejas Networks

The telco Tejas Networks was established in 2000. It designs and manufactures wireline and wireless networking products. It focuses on technology, research & development and innovation. 

Tejas Network’s carrier-class products are used by defence networks, governments and telecom service providers across 75+ countries around the world. The company is, at present, a part of Panatone Finvest Limited - a Tata Sons Subsidiary.

The company has different verticals, including Tejas Communication Pte Ltd. and Saankhya Labs Pvt. Ltd. Other Operating Revenue, Sale of Services and Optical & Data Networking Products are some products and brands offered by Tejas Networks.

The market cap of Tejas Networks is 23,188.6 Cr (as of 29th November, 2024). It is a small cap company which is a part of indices such as BSE Internet Economy, Nifty 500, Nifty India Manufacturing Index, Nifty MidSmallcap 400, Nifty Smallcap 100, Nifty Smallcap 250, Nifty Smallcap 50, S&P BSE 500, S&P BSE AllCap, S&P BSE MidSmallCap, S&P BSE SmallCap, Nifty Total Market, Nifty500 Multicap India Manufacturing 50:30:20, Nifty500 Multicap Infrastructure 50:30:20 index, S&P BSE 250 SmallCap Index, S&P BSE 400 MidSmallCap Index, S&P BSE Telecom and S&P BSE TECK.

10. GTL Infrastructure Ltd

GTL Infrastructure is yet another leading telecom company in our list of top 10 telecom companies in India. The telco was incorporated on February 4th, 2004 under The Companies Act, 1956 as GTL Engineering & Managed Network Services Limited. The current Chairman of GTL Infrastructure Ltd is Mr. Vinod B. Agarwala.

GTL Infra is a pioneer in India’s shared passive telecom infrastructure. It owns, deploys and manages telecom towers and communication structures used by wireless telecom operators in India. GTL Infrastructure Ltd is one of the largest independent and neutral telecom tower companies and has a portfolio of about 26,000 towers located across all 22 telecom circles in the country.

The infrastructure sharing business model of this company allows the telecom operators to convert their capital expenditure to an operational expenditure which is fixed and predictable. This allows them to divert their capital towards their core activities.

GTL Infra earns its revenues from long term contracts of 5/10/15 years with Wireless Telecom Operators. Upon the term’s expiry, the Telecom Operators have the option to renew their contracts with GTL Infrastructure Ltd. By keeping everyone connected via its advanced mobile tower network, GTL Infra is helping to realize the vision of a connected India. This makes the idea of a "Digital India" possible.

GTL Infra is also linked to the esteemed initiatives being supported by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and COAI, including MOST (Mobile Operator Shared Tower) and the Universal Services Obligation Fund (USO) for rural telecom infrastructure. The Department of Telecommunication, Government of India, has registered GTL Infra as a Infrastructure Provider Category 1 (IP-1) and it is a publicly traded company (BSE: 532775 & NSE: GTL Infra). 

Conclusion

In this blog post, we provided you with the list of top 10 telecom companies in India. We’re pretty sure you’re familiar with most of the telcos mentioned. After all, they’re some of the largest telecom players in the telecom industry in India. Additionally, most of these companies have a global presence.

In order to enter the telecom industry as an internet service provider, it is mandatory to obtain an ISP license from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). Want to obtain an ISP license easily? Connect with Registrationwala’s ISP consultants!

Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only. The telecom companies listed in this blog post titled “top 10 telecom companies in India” are not ranked according to any official rankings or data but based on personal opinion. Registrationwala shall not be responsible for any decisions taken based on the information provided in this blog post.

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