New Delhi, India - 03 May 2019: Vodafone Idea Limited ("Vodafone Idea") announced signing a multi-million-dollar five-year agreement with IBM to deliver an enhanced customer experience to millions of connected consumers and businesses in India. In addition, this engagement will also contribute to Vodafone Idea’s merger synergy objectives by reducing its IT related costs.

 

The collaboration will provide Vodafone Idea with a hybrid cloud based digital platform to enable more intimate engagement with its over 387 million subscribers (as of December 31, 2018), enhancing business efficiency, agility and scale plus simplification of its business processes. We believe that this new infrastructure platform will remove constraints to the exponential growth of data usage driven by increasing consumption of video, streaming and digital commerce.

 

Vodafone Idea is collaborating with leading global technology partners including IBM to deploy new age technologies with built-in customizations and novel innovations. We believe that use of IBM’s Hybrid and Multicloud, analytics and AI security capabilities will accelerate Vodafone Idea’s progression to an open, agile and secure IT environment. It will also provide a platform for fast-track joint initiatives in AI and IOT.

 

“Delivering better customer experience through digital medium is one of the focus areas for Vodafone Idea, said Balesh Sharma, CEO, Vodafone Idea Limited, speaking about the renewed strategic relationship with IBM. “This five-year collaboration with IBM, opens new opportunities for us to partner together in domains like cloud, AI and IoT.  We will also be able to leverage collateral from the cloud partnership already announced between Vodafone and IBM in Europe. Achieving synergies post-merger from the combination of Vodafone India Limited & Idea Cellular Limited is a strategic priority for us and we continue to be ahead of track.”

“This partnership is built on a decade long engagement with Vodafone and Idea. We are pleased that VIL has chosen IBM as the partner for their transformation journey. We are confident that our industry expertise coupled with Hybrid cloud, Data analytics and AI capabilities will help VIL deliver significant customer experience and service value”, Karan Bajwa, Managing Director, IBM India Pvt. Ltd.

All of Vodafone Idea’s customers, from consumers to enterprises, will have to embrace the challenge of digital disruption over the next years. We believe that this agreement builds the foundation for both companies to address these emerging opportunities, while ensuring a continued high level of service for its customers.

IBM will continue to seamlessly deliver enhanced services for Vodafone Idea leveraging its prior capabilities with Vodafone India and Idea Cellular. It will consolidate applications, and infrastructure including Data centers, Disaster Recovery Centers, and further accelerate existing Cloud usage. Solutions deployed by Vodafone India Limited and Idea Cellular Limited earlier will be merged and big data capabilities be enhanced.

Vodafone Idea will also leverage Dynamic Automation and Robotic Process Automation to drive efficiency and standardization across IT operations. AI and machine learning based Cognitive Solutions aim to provide Vodafone Idea with a secure environment ensuring regulatory compliance, intelligent threat detection, and data protection.

IBM is also supporting Vodafone Idea with an option of extended flexible payment plan structure for the term of the contract through IBM Global Financing, its wholly owned subsidiary.

About Vodafone Idea Limited (formerly Idea Cellular Limited)

Vodafone Idea Limited is an Aditya Birla Group and Vodafone Group partnership. It is India’s leading telecom service provider. The Company provides pan India Voice and Data services across 2G, 3G and 4G platform. With the large spectrum portfolio to support the growing demand for data and voice, the company is committed to deliver delightful customer experiences and contribute towards creating a truly ‘Digital India’ by enabling millions of citizens to connect and build a better tomorrow. The Company is developing infrastructure to introduce newer and smarter technologies, making both retail and enterprise customers future ready with innovative offerings, conveniently accessible through an ecosystem of digital channels as well as extensive on-ground presence. The Company is listed on National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) in India. For more information, please visit www.vodafoneidea.com.

For more information, please visit: www.vodafoneidea.com

Disclaimer

Vodafone Idea Limited (formerly Idea Cellular Limited) is proposing, subject to receipt of requisite approvals, market conditions and other considerations, a rights issue of its equity shares and has filed a Letter of Offer. The Letter of Offer is available on the website of the SEBI at www.sebi.gov.in , the website of BSE at www.bseindia.com , the website of NSE at www.nseindia.com and the respective websites of the Lead Managers at www.investmentbank.kotak.com , www.ml-india.com ,  www.morganstanley.com/about-us/global-offices/asia-pacific/india, www.hdfcbank.com and www.sbicaps.com . Investors should note that investment in equity shares involves a high degree of risk. For details, potential investors should refer to the Letter of Offer, including the section titled “Risk Factors”.

The Rights Entitlements and the Rights Equity Shares have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or any U.S. state securities laws and may not be offered, sold, resold or otherwise transferred within the United States or the territories or possessions thereof, except in a transaction exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. The Rights Entitlements and Rights Equity Shares are being offered in offshore transactions outside the United States in compliance with Regulation S under the Securities Act and in the United States to “qualified institutional buyers” (as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act) in transactions exempt from the registration requirements under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act.

About IBM

·     For more information on IBM India, please visit http://www.ibm.com/in