Brand: AirTel
Catch Phrase: Aisi Azadi Aur Kahan
Brand Ambassadors: Shahrukh Khan and Sachin Tendulkar
Footprint: Service already available in 15 out of 23 circles in India. Licenses taken for another six circles and LoI issued for Assam circle

Airtel

Leadership: Sunil Bharti Mittal has exhibited enough grit and determination. Has the capability to face challenges head on, and emerge stronger—against state-run behemoth BSNL and Ambani-promoted juggernaut Reliance Infocomm. Bharti also has Kurt Hellstrom, the former president and world chief executive of Ericsson on its board of directors.
Holding Company: Bharti Tele-Ventures, which has grown rapidly into an integrated telecom services company. This has given AirTel the leverage to engage in competitive pricing against the state-run BSNL, and survive. A ‘Crisil governance and value creation (GVC) Level 1’ rating was assigned to Bharti Tele-Ventures in February 2004. The rating reflects the strong strategic direction and management oversight provided by Bharti’s board.
The Approach: Have the first mover advantage wherever and whenever possible, and best, market it well
Promoters Holding: 46.6 percent
Foreign equity: Foreign companies—37.35 percent; FIIs—9.24 percent
Technology offerings: GSM, GPRS
Value-added Services: Voice reminder alerts, download content such as Java games, polyphonic ringtones, wallpapers, videos over GPRS-compatible handsets, MMS and mobile office on GPRS, enhanced phonebook and inbox service, vernacular SMS, astrology, etc.