Latest news with #Vittal
United News of India
6 days ago
- Business
- United News of India
Bharti Airtel partners with Perplexity to serve customers with Pro subscription access
New Delhi, July 18 (UNI) In a latest customer-centric move, Bharti Airtel has partnered with Perplexity AI (AI-enabled web search engine) to offer free of cost access to Perplexity's Pro Subscription for a period of one year. Bharti Airtel is an Indian Telecommunications company headquartered in New Delhi. Currently, it provides 5G, 4G, and LTE (Long Term Evolution) advanced services across India. The partnership provides free access to Perplexity Pro Subscription to all Airtel customers. It is viable on Wi-Fi, Mobile, and DTH (Direct-to-Home) for one year. Users can access this facility by signing in to the 'Airtel Thanks App.' This collaboration marks the first strong entry of Perplexity in the Indian Telecom industry. Gopal Vittal (Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Bharti Airtel) pointed out the bringing of new AI-driven capabilities by this partnership. Vittal also highlighted that this collaboration will bring access to a real-time knowledge tool for millions of people. This is the first Gen-AI partnership in India with an emphasis on our customers and adopting the emerging trends. Aravind Srinivas (Co-founder, Perplexity AI) emphasizes that this collaboration will bring accurate, trustworthy, and professional-grade AI accessible to our customers in India. UNI SAS AAB
Time of India
6 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Airtel hits record 40% market share, eyes more "tariff repairs"
Bharti Airtel 's revenue market share touched a record high of nearly 40% in 2024-25, increasing 1.78 percentage points year-on-year for its mobile services business, even as its vice chairman Gopal Vittal called for further 'tariff repair' for a sustainable return on capital employed. The strong revenue growth of the country's second-largest telecom operator was supported by an improved portfolio mix, continued premiumisation and tariff repair across its mobile pricing plans, the company said in its annual report released on Thursday. During the financial year, Bharti Airtel chairman Sunil Mittal drew an annual remuneration of Rs 32.55 crore, an increase of 0.89% year-on-year. Vittal, also the managing director, drew an annual salary of Rs 20.2 crore, a 9.14% increase over the previous year. The company paid Rs 37,300 crore in licence fee and spectrum usage charges to the state exchequer in 2024-25. It additionally paid Rs 28,900 towards spectrum obligations, including annual and prepayment of past spectrum dues. 'Over the past five years, Airtel's contribution to the Exchequer is nearly Rs 2.5 trillion, reflecting our commitment to national development,' Mittal said in the annual report. Bharti Airtel's revenue increased 17.9% year-on-year to Rs 1.25 lakh crore, with earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of Rs 57,909 crore, resulting in its highest revenue market share yet. 'In mobility, we delivered a record-high revenue market share of ~40 percent and added over 9.3 million new customers in FY 2024-25,' Vittal said in the report. The telco added 24 million net 4G and 5G customers in 2024-25 even as its average revenue per user, a key performance metric, increased by Rs 36 to Rs 245 during the period. 'Our focus remains on growing our postpaid base, driving smartphone upgrades and expanding international roaming penetration,' Vittal said. He said that while the much-awaited tariff repair took place in July 2024, there was need for further repair to ensure sustainable improvement in return on capital employed. Chairman Mittal said Bharti Airtel's coverage across the country expanded during the fiscal with the deployment of more than 20,000 network sites and over 44,000 kilometres of fibre. 'I am also pleased to share that your company is fully ready to transition to a standalone 5G network. This will happen when 5G becomes the mainstay wireless technology, while we continue to conduct pilot testing,' Mittal said. Bharti Airtel closed 2024-25 with more than 135 million 5G users, compared to 72 million in the previous year, reflecting rapid adoption and network expansion, the company said. The telco offers 5G services through a non-standalone architecture, which it said was a calculated decision resulting in significant savings in capex and network operating expenses. "This has enabled Airtel to deliver 5G services at the lowest TCO (total cost of ownership)," Mittal said. The company's Africa business faced macroeconomic headwinds but delivered a resilient performance in 2024-25. 'The business continued its steady growth momentum, recording underlying constant currency revenue growth of 21% and EBITDA growth of 18%,' Mittal said. 'Airtel Africa's balance sheet remains healthy, with comfortable leverage. The majority of debt is now denominated in local currencies, effectively mitigating exposure to forex volatility.' The company's broadband business also gained momentum in India, adding 2.4 million new broadband customers, driven by its launch of fixed wireless services in more than 2,500 cities. Bharti Airtel also achieved record high market share in the direct to home (DTH) segment, despite industry headwinds. 'We are making structural changes to our DTH business by eliminating subsidies, which will benefit cash flow,' Vittal said. The company's business-to-business segment, however, saw slow overall growth due to its deliberate shift away from low-margin, commodity business, he said. Bharti Airtel had 13,593 permanent employees and 71,861 non-permanent workers at the end of 2024-25.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Perplexity Pro is free for Airtel users; How to claim Rs 17,000 Perplexity AI Pro access for FREE
Airtel has partnered with US-based AI company Perplexity. As part of the deal, Airtel is offering a 12-month Perplexity Pro subscription for free. This means that Perplexity AI Pro, priced at Rs 17,000 for a year, is available for free to Airtel's entire subscriber base of 360 million. The free offer is valid for both Airtel Prepaid and Airtel Postpaid customers. This Perplexity AI Pro subscription is also available for free to Airtel Wi- Fi and DTH customers as well for one year. For those unaware, Perplexity is an AI-powered search and answer engine that claims to offer real-time responses to users in a conversational language. Perplexity's Pro version is said to come with enhanced capabilities for professionals and heavy users, which includes more daily Pro searches per user, access to advanced AI models (e.g., GPT 4.1, Claude) and the ability to select specific models, deep research, image generation, file uploads and analysis, as well as Perplexity Labs, a unique tool that brings ideas to life." How Airtel users can claim the Rs 17,000 Perplexity AI Pro access for free As mentioned above, the Perplexity Pro version costs around Rs 17000 for a year. Airtel users can access the same for free. All Airtel users can avail this offer by logging in to the Airtel Thanks App. To get going, tap on the hamburger menu on the top-right side of your smartphone screen. Now, go to Rewards and OTTs. Tap on 'Rewards'. There you will see the Perplexity Pro offer under 'Collect Rewards'. Now just Tap on 'Claim Now' and then follow with a tap on 'Proceed'. Airtel and Perplexity executives on the partnership "We're thrilled to announce a game-changing partnership with Perplexity, bringing their cutting-edge AI capabilities exclusively for Airtel customers," said Gopal Vittal, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Bharti Airtel. This collaboration will bring a powerful and real-time knowledge tool for millions of users at their fingertips, at no extra cost. This first of its kind Gen-AI partnership in India is focused on helping our customers navigate the emerging trends in the digital world with confidence and ease," Vittal added. "This partnership is an exciting way to make accurate, trustworthy, and professional-grade AI accessible to more people in India--whether a student, working professional, or managing a household. With Perplexity Pro, users get a smarter, easier way to find information, learn, and get more done," said Aravind Srinivas, Cofounder, CEO, Perplexity. AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Hindustan Times
7 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Airtel partners with Perplexity to offer free Perplexity Pro to all users
Bharti Airtel on Thursday signed a partnership with AI-powered answer engine Perplexity to provide a 12-month free subscription of the premium interface of Perplexity Pro to all its users. Airtel has approximately 360 million users, including those who avail mobile, WiFi and DTH services. Airtel users can avail this offer by logging in to their respective accounts in the Airtel Thanks app.(REUTERS File) Earlier this year, Samsung has also introduced an offer, availing which all Samsung Galaxy smartphone or tablet users, who live in the US can get a full year of Perplexity Pro, a paid AI assistant subscription valued at $200, at no cost. Airtel joins hands with Perplexity "We're thrilled to announce a game-changing partnership with Perplexity, bringing their cutting-edge AI capabilities exclusively for Airtel customers," said the Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Bharti Airtel Gopal Vittal. The partnership between Airtel and Perplexity marks the interface's first-ever partnership with an Indian telecom company. "This collaboration will bring a powerful and real-time knowledge tool for millions of users at their fingertips, at no extra cost. This first of its kind Gen-AI partnership in India is focused on helping our customers navigate the emerging trends in the digital world with confidence and ease," Vittal added. How can Airtel users avail this offer? Airtel users can avail the offer by logging in to their respective accounts in the Airtel Thanks app. What makes Perplexity different from other AI engines? Perplexity is an AI-powered search and answer engine that offers real-time, accurate and deeply researched responses to users in a conversational language. What makes Perplexity stand out from the AI engine crowd is that it offers an elevated customer search experience by providing a listing of web pages to an easy-to-read answer, which can be iterated with the self-learning AI tool for the precise outcome the user needs, and that too in real time. Perplexity's premium interface or Perplexity Pro, costed at an annual expense of around ₹17000, is marked with enhanced features. It eases the search experiences of heavy users, which comprises more daily Pro searches per user, access to advanced AI models (e.g., GPT 4.1, Claude) and the ability to select specific models, deep research, image generation, file uploads and analysis, as well as Perplexity Labs - a strikingly unique tool that is developed by Perplexity, and brings ideas to life. Perplexity looks forward to being more accessible Co-founder and CEO of Perplexity Aravind Srinivas said the partnership is an exciting way to make accurate, trustworthy, and professional-grade AI accessible to more people in India. 'Be it a student, working professional, or managing a household. With Perplexity Pro, users get a smarter, easier way to find information, learn, and get more done,' Srinivas added. (With inputs from ANI)
Indian Express
20-06-2025
- Indian Express
Palkhi procession: Entry on top side of Pune's Dive Ghat banned on June 22
As the annual Palkhi processions are set to enter Pune city limits on Friday, June 20, the city police have banned the entry of people and Warkaris, the devotees of Lord Vittal, on the top side of Dive Ghat Mountain on June 22, to prevent any accidents. Joint Commissioner of Police Ranjan Kumar Sharma on Thursday issued the order as heavy rain is expected in the region when the Palkhi processions would pass through Dive Ghat in Pune. The restriction will be in place from 12 am to 12 pm on June 22, it said. Lakhs of Warkaris will accompany the traditional Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Palkhi procession that will pass through the Pune-Solapur Road from Bhairoba Nala to Saswad via Dive Ghat on June 22. Parts of the Dive Ghat Mountain have been dug for road widening, making the Ghat section slippery, the police said. The police said it is not safe for people and the Warkaris to visit the mountain top as the work for widening four kilometers of Dive Ghat road is underway. The police said several people visit the top side of Dive Ghat Mountains for tourism, click photographs, and make reels. Palkhi procession is a major spiritual event in Maharashtra when Warkaris of Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj and Sant Tukaram Maharaj accompany the palanquin carrying the Paduka (sacred footwear) of their revered saints head to Pandharpur in Solapur district on foot. The procession that starts from two points — Alandi and Dehu -– carrying the Paduka of their respective saints took its present grand form in the early 19th century. This year, the pilgrimage concludes on July 6, on Ashadhi Ekadashi.
