Telecom network operator Idea Cellular on Thursday announced its investment and strategies in 2015 and especially in the third quarter of fiscal 2016.

In 2015, Idea Cellular integrated 32,385 cell sites, expanding 2G population coverage to nearly 974 million Indians and wireless broadband 3G and 4G services footprint to cover 340 million population, while its fibre network expanded beyond 105,000 KMs.

Idea Cellular has made an investment of Rs 23,135 million towards Capex in Q3 fiscal 2016.

Idea Cellular has added 3,239 2G cell sites and 7,678 3G+4G cell sites during the third quarter.

Currently, Idea Cellular has 122,515 2G sites and 47,545 3G+4G sites.

Recently, the Aditya Birla group company increased the Capex guidance – for telecom infrastructure — for fiscal 2016 to Rs 75 billion on account of accelerated 4G rollout.

In December 2015, Idea Cellular replaced the expired 900 MHz spectrum for 7 service areas with New 900 MHz liberalised spectrum won in March 2015. The company will replace spectrum in remaining two service areas of Karnataka and Punjab in April 2016. In December, Kolkata metro became 13th circle, extending own 3G spectrum coverage to 79 percent of Idea revenue base.

The company launched its 4G services in four south Indian telecom service areas. Idea Cellular plans to extend its 4G footprint to over 750 Towns by June 2016.

The net mobile data customer base — 2G, 3G and 4G — has remained flat at 41.4 million in Q3 against 41.3 million in Q2 FY 2016 primarily due to the data subscriber reporting.

The mobile data usage per data customer increased to 653 MB against 470 MB in Q3 FY 2015. Blended mobile data ARPU rose to Rs 145 from Rs 126.

The non voice revenue contribution improved to 28.1 percent this quarter against 23.1 percent a year earlier.

Over the last one year, the 3G data subscriber base of Idea Cellular has increased by 8.2 million to 21.2 million in third quarter.

55.5 million subscribers upgraded their phones to 3G/4G smartphone/devices.

The data ARPU of Idea Cellular’s 3G data customer fell to Rs 196 from Rs 202 in Q2. On the other hand,  3G data usage by 3G data subscribers grew to 866 MB from 802 MB.

3G subscriber base of Idea Cellular increased to 21.19 million from 19.58 million.

Idea Cellular has increased its direct employees to 16,948 from 16,218.

Baburajan K
[email protected]