September 7th is a big day for Vodafone Idea Ltd (VIL). The merged telecom entity announced a rebranding and its integration into a brand new avatar ‘Vi’ – that reflects a bold vision and support for building Digital India.
Vi is now going to be reflected as a brand with its eyes set on the future, built for and around its customers.
Unveiling the new brand, Ravinder Takkar, CEO, Vodafone India said, “Vodafone Idea came together as a merged entity two years ago. We have since then focussed on integrating two large networks, our people and processes. And today I am delighted to present Vi, a brand that will bring important meaning to the lives of our customers. It unifies everything that we do with a progressive view of the world. It communicates our desires to deliver for our customers, stakeholders, our community and even our employees.”
According to him, with the successful integration of two strong networks, deployment of new age technologies, Vodafone Idea has become one of the fastest-growing 4G networks in the Indian markets.
Takkar also stated that the company will continue to invest in 4G to increase the coverage and capacity. “The 4G population coverage of VIL is around one billion, having doubled from the time of the merger,” he noted.
Excited about the new brand identity, Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman - Aditya Birla Group & Vodafone Idea Limited, said, “India is the 2nd largest telecom market and the largest data consumer, globally. With 1.2 Bn Indians accessing voice and data services at the world’s lowest tariffs across 5 lakh villages, the ubiquitous wireless network in India is unmatched for its reach and impact in people’s lives. With our new brand — Vi, we stand committed to partner the Government to accelerate India’s progression towards a digital economy, enabling millions of citizens to connect to the digital revolution and build a better tomorrow.”
Introducing the new brand, Nick Read, CEO - Vodafone Group Plc, said, “This is an important next step to launch our new unified business under a new unified brand, Vi. Back in 2018, the combination of Vodafone India and Idea created the new champion for the government’s vision of Digital India. As the integration of the two businesses is now complete, it’s time for a fresh start. That’s why we believe that now is the perfect time to launch Vi, one company that combines the strengths of Vodafone India and Idea. Vi's focus will be to deliver to citizens and businesses in India a superior network experience, better customer service, and leading products and services.”
Vi promises a stronger, better, faster network
Both Vodafone and Idea want Vi to reflect as a new design system and not just an identity. It leverages legacy but is also transformational in its intent and signals that change, says Kavita Nair, Chief Digital Transformation and Brand Officer.
Kavita Nair further said, “It stretches across consumers and businesses, and across all classes, geographies, urban and rural. It is flexible across formats and works well with partners. “Vi leverages the strength of two of India's most loved brands, Vodafone and Idea. Vi is vibrant, exciting, and throbs with the spirit of rising India. It is committed to helping every Indian move ahead in life. Vi is dynamic, flexible, fluid and always on. In the months to come Vi will continuously unpack exciting possibilities for its customers. Vi is built for the new age and for the connected ecosystem. We invite everyone to join this exciting journey as we move towards building a better tomorrow.
Explaining the brand’s intention behind the logo Nair explained:
- “The name Vi is much more than an abbreviation of Vodafone and Idea. It is shorter, simpler and while referencing the origins of the two brands, Vi (read as “we”), also reflects the collective nature of Indian society. It is not just about me, it’s especially about “we”.
- The “I” is always punctuated with a bold mustard dot. It is confident, surprising, and delightful. It reflects the throbbing and progressive pulse of India. It is unique, continuously unpacking amazing possibilities, and always putting customers at the heart of everything.
- Starting today, Vi ads will be on TV and digital platforms, followed by a high decibel intensive multi-media campaign. The brand buzz will then continue in the market over the coming weeks.”
Nair also said that VIL has readied a robust, future-fit network built on many principles of 5G architecture.
Nair further said that the company continues to invest in 4G to increase coverage and capacity. VIL’s 4G population coverage now reaches 1 billion people - double the coverage at the time of the merger announcement. With the successful integration of two strong networks and deployment of new-age technologies such as Dynamic Spectrum Re-farming (DSR), M-MIMO, TDD, Small Cells, Cloud, and OpenRAN, Vi customers will now be able to enjoy the combined strength of a high powered, unified network.
These network investments have delivered a significant capacity uplift and enabled VIL to offer superior customer experience. Vi customers will enjoy the fastest 4G speeds across many circles, top cities, and leading metros including Delhi and Mumbai.