Handset players and service providers (SPs) are expanding their product offerings and exploring newer geographies every day, and the telecom channel community is further fueling these aspirations. Voice&Data ConnecT brings together critical information to understand the telecome channel community of the Indian sub-continent. It is worth mentioning that it is the first time that a tracker containing such information is being published.
The information has been broadly divided into three segments—SPs, handset/accessory vendors and large-format retailers (LFRs).
Through the tracker we have addressed a few frequently asked questions like—what is the state of telecom channel community today; how big is this community for SPs, handset/accessory providers and LFRs; where is this community headed and what are the trends that are likely to rule the roost.
SERVICE PROVIDERS: BIGGER AND BETTER
The Indian telecom market for SPs is abuzz with lots of activities. While the average revenue per user (ARPU) remains an issue to be addressed, SPs are not holding back in terms of their geographical expansion. In fact, they are making sure that their user base is increasing at a healthy rate.
The channel advantage
Airtel gives the credit to the channel community in India for being the first point of contact for brand Airtel with its customers. "We have increased our marketshare by over two percent since last year. We have been adding over two million customers in India every month. All of this could not have been possible without support of our channel partners," said a spokesperson from Airtel.