Today, the telecom sector is in the throes of what is arguably its biggest crisis ever, with mounting debt, poor infrastructure, unreliable service, and one of the three major players—Vodafone Idea—teetering on the brink of collapse. How did this storied industry come to this moment? The answer lies in a few things. In our cover story this month, Aveek Datta and T. Surendar take a detailed look at how the cookie crumbled for India’s telecom sector and where it stands now. With the Supreme Court refusing to budge on its verdict, the government finds itself in a bind: While the government must recover the dues and comply with the court order, letting Vodafone Idea collapse will have serious repercussions on the economy as a whole and send terribly wrong signals globally. The situation has the potential to reduce the sector to a duopoly, given Jio’s financial might and Airtel’s stated ability to cough up the AGR dues. The story is full of twists and turns, with new developments taking place every day. Read on to find more and finer details.
Fortune is one of the most respected business magazines in the world. It is known for its unrivaled access to world’s most influential leaders and decision-makers. In a world of business long on information and short on time, Fortune stands out with trusted insight, deep reporting and provocative story telling. Few publications cover the world of business with as much depth, breadth, wisdom, and panache. That’s why Fortune is recognized as ‘the best magazine in the world that just happens to be about business’. Fortune 500 is perhaps the best-known brand in business journalism and the ultimate hallmark of corporate success. Launched in India in October 2010, Fortune India retains the spirit of the global brand with respect to thought leadership and practice from across the world every month while adding an Indian dimension. It is the only truly global business magazine dedicated to the global success of Indian business leaders, offering actionable insights to propel their businesses. Fortune Indai is published every month. Fortune India publishes 12 issues (8-regular issues and 4 special- listing issues) in a year. Single Issue Digital price for regular issues is 150 INR and 200 INR for special issues
