Airtel sharpens focus on rural regions to close the gap with Jio

Even as Reliance Jio continues to lead the telecom market, especially in the lower circles, Airtel is looking to close the gap with its peer on the back of its focus on rural areas. The Sunil Bharti Mittal-owned telecom operator has gained revenue market share in 13 out of 14, B and C circles in FY23, compared to Reliance Jio gaining share in only three such circles, according to analysts.

The B and C circles include markets such as Kerala, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh (West), Uttar Pradesh (East), Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Odisha, Assam, North East and Bihar, among others.

Jio is seen to have a strong appeal in non-metro and lower circles, largely owing to its brand image as an affordable player, especially when it entered the market in 2016 with unlimited data at no cost.