A deeper focus on enhancing 4G networks in the short-term will help VI more than attempting an unending catch-up with market leaders Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel on a hard-to-monetise 5G technology, say experts
After several months, the Vodafone Idea (VI) stock has started to show meaningful gains to individuals who are betting on the stock, gaining 39.5 percent in the past four weeks and 71 percent in six months to Rs11.3 at the BSE on September 11, backed by positive news. With the cash-strapped telco closer than ever to clinch a deal with investors for capital infusion, is this the game-changing moment for it to finally become a competitive third -player? This will happen only if the investment is hefty. Or if the government decides to lower the net present value (NPV) of the liability VI owes to it. Both these cases appear remote.
In June, VI said its promoters UK’s Vodafone Group Plc and the Aditya Birla Group were likely to infuse up to Rs9,000 crore of fresh capital into the company to revive its business.