Vodafone Idea ups marketing spend to Rs 1,159 crore as ARPU rises 7.3% in Q3

Vodafone Idea (Vi) reported a marginal improvement in its financial performance for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, as losses narrowed and key operating metrics showed steady traction.

The telco posted a net loss of Rs 5,286 crore in Q3FY26, lower than Rs 6,609 crore in the year-ago period. Revenue from operations edged up to Rs 11,323 crore from Rs 11,117 crore a year earlier, while EBITDA improved to Rs 4,816 crore, compared to Rs 4,712 crore in Q3FY25.

Total expenses declined slightly to Rs 17,884 crore during the quarter. Of this, network and IT outsourcing costs stood at Rs 2,361 crore, roaming charges at Rs 1,160 crore, while spending on marketing, content, customer acquisition and servicing amounted to Rs 1,159 crore-rise of 3.4% YoY.

Customer monetisation also improved, with ARPU (excluding M2M) rising 7.3% year-on-year to Rs 186 from Rs 173. Vi’s total subscriber base stood at 193 million, including 128.5 million 4G and 5G users, up from 126 million a year ago. Average monthly data usage per 4G/5G subscriber surged 26.7% to 19.2 GB.

On the network front, Vi expanded its 4G coverage by 100 million people during the quarter, taking total population coverage to 85.5%. The company also boosted 4G data capacity by over 43%, while average speeds improved by around 22% compared to March 2024 levels.

Calling the quarter an “inflection point,” CEO Abhijit Kishore said the resolution of long-pending legacy issues had strengthened Vi’s turnaround trajectory. The company concluded the settlement of CLAM receivables worth Rs 6,394 crore with the Vodafone Group and successfully raised Rs 3,300 crore through non-convertible debentures, signalling renewed lender confidence despite the AGR overhang.

As of December 31, 2025, Vi’s AGR liability stood at Rs 80,502 crore. Following a communication from the Department of Telecommunications on January 8, 2026, the company’s AGR dues have been frozen and rescheduled under a revised repayment framework. The frozen dues amount to Rs 87,695 crore, subject to reassessment by a DoT-appointed committee.