Airtel grows Arpu lead, profit in Q1

Bharti Airtel Ltd reported steady earnings growth in the June quarter, driven by a surge in mobile data consumption and an expanding subscriber base.

- Jatin Grover

Bharti Airtel Ltd reported steady earnings growth in the June quarter, driven by a surge in mobile data consumption and an expanding subscriber base. The telco's average revenue per user (Arpu) climbed to an industry-leading ₹250, as it continues its recovery from years of low tariffs.

Net profit at India's second-largest telecom operator stood at ₹5,948 crore, up 43% from a year earlier; however, according to analysts at ICICI Securities, the numbers are not comparable as Indus Towers became an Airtel subsidiary since November, from its previous status as an associate. On a sequential basis, Airtel's net profit fell 46% from ₹11,022 crore in the preceding quarter, when it received a deferred tax benefit of ₹5,913 crore.