About Idea Cellular
Idea Cellular is a company based in Mumbai (India) founded in 1995. Idea Cellular has raised $522 million across 9 funding rounds from investors including Axiata Group, International Finance Corporation and Export Development Canada. Idea Cellular has completed 1 acquisition, including Spice Global. Idea Cellular operates in a competitive market with competitors including Jio, MTN, Airtel, Proximus Group and AT&T, among others.
- Headquarter Mumbai, India
- Stage Public
- SectorsTelecommunications
- Website ideacellular.com
- Social LinkedIn X Facebook
- Legal Name Aditya Birla Telecom Limited
- Date of Incorporation 20 Dec, 2005
- Jurisdiction Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India
- Annual Revenue₹336 Cr
FY 2018 · -32% YoY
- Net Profit₹316 Cr
FY 2018 · 94% margin
- EBITDA₹335 Cr
FY 2018 · 100% margin
- Total Equity Funding$522M (USD)
in 9 rounds
- Latest Funding Round$546.98M (USD), Post-IPO
Feb 2018
- InvestorsAxiata Group
& 6 more
- Investments & Acquisitions
Associated legal entities of Idea Cellular
Idea Cellular is associated with 2 registered companies on The Company Check; the primary company is Aditya Birla Telecom Limited. Each company page carries the filings, financials, charges and directors of that entity.
| Legal entity | Status | Incorporated | Registered in | Revenue (FY 2018) | Employees | Directors | Company page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aditya Birla Telecom Limited CIN U64202GJ2005PLC103905 | Amalgamated | 20 Dec 2005 | Gandhinagar, Gujarat | ₹336 Cr | – | 7 | View details |
| Vodafone Idea Limited Listed CIN L32100GJ1996PLC030976 | Active | 14 Mar 1995 | Gandhinagar, Gujarat | ₹45,414 Cr | 9,614 | 15 | View details |
Funding Insights of Idea Cellular
Idea Cellular has successfully raised a total of $522M across 9 strategic funding rounds. The most recent funding activity was a Post-IPO round of $546.98 million completed in February 2018. This substantial capital infusion reflects strong investor confidence in the company's business model, growth potential, and market opportunities. The funding enables strategic expansion, product development, market penetration, and operational scaling to drive long-term value creation and competitive advantage.
- Total Funding $522M
- Total Rounds 9
- Last Round Post-IPO — $546.98M
- First Round $400M
(Oct 2006)
- Investors Count 7
All 9 funding rounds of Idea Cellular with amounts and investors; the two latest post-money valuations are shown, the rest are part of the premium plan.
| Date | Amount | Transaction Name | Valuation | Lead Investors | Investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2018 | $546.98M | Post-IPO | – | – | – |
| May 2017 | $215M | Debt – Conventional | – | – | |
| Sep 2014 | $63.71M | Post-IPO | – | – | |
| Jun 2014 | $126.61M | Post-IPO | – | – | |
| Jun 2014 | $505.79M | Post-IPO | – | – | – |
| Dec 2013 | $1M | Grant | – | – | |
| Jul 2011 | – | Post-IPO | – | – | |
| Oct 2006 | $122M | Private Equity Round | – | – | |
| Oct 2006 | $400M | Private Equity Round | – | – |
7 investors in total: 7 institutional.
Investors in Idea Cellular
Idea Cellular has secured backing from 7 investors, including institutional and venture fund investors. Prominent investors backing the company include Axiata Group, International Finance Corporation and Export Development Canada.
| Investor | Description | Founded Year | Domain | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
IFC is focused on private sector development in emerging markets. | 1956 | ifc.org | - | |
Investment firm focusing on private equity in sectors like financial services and healthcare. | 1999 | chryscapital.com | - | |
Private equity investments in media, communications, education, and technology sectors. | – | provequity.com | - | |
SME loans are provided to support business exports. | 1944 | edc.ca | Ottawa, Canada | |
Telecommunication services are provided by Axiata Group across Asia. | 1992 | axiata.com | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | |
Infrastructure development services are provided to support international projects. | – | ustda.gov | Arlington, United States | |
Diversified investment management services are provided to clients worldwide. | 1988 | firststateinvestments.com | London, United Kingdom |
Investor details for Idea Cellular
The complete investor list, round-by-round participation and investor portfolios require an active premium plan.
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Board of directors of Aditya Birla Telecom Limited (Idea Cellular)
Aditya Birla Telecom Limited is the primary company behind Idea Cellular. The boards of the 2 registered companies of Idea Cellular currently have 16 directors; the longest-serving is Akshaya Moondra, appointed in 2010. 51 earlier directors have ceased.
| Director | Designation | Appointed | Tenure | Entity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akshaya Moondra DIN 02606784 | Director | 15 Dec 2010 | 15 yrs 9 mo | Aditya Birla Telecom Limited |
| Baldev Raj Gupta DIN 00020066 | Director | 23 Jan 2015 | 11 yrs 8 mo | Aditya Birla Telecom Limited |
| Tarjani Manmukram Vakil DIN 00009603 | Director | 23 Jan 2015 | 11 yrs 8 mo | Aditya Birla Telecom Limited |
| Anil Arya Vasant DIN 03310125 | CFO | 24 Jan 2015 | 11 yrs 8 mo | Aditya Birla Telecom Limited |
| Himanshu Kapania DIN 03387441 | Director | 31 Aug 2018 | 8 yrs 1 mo | Vodafone Idea Limited, Aditya Birla Telecom Limited |
| Ashwani Windlass DIN 00042686 | Director | 31 Aug 2018 | 8 yrs 1 mo | Vodafone Idea Limited |
| Ravinder Takkar DIN 01719511 | Director | 31 Aug 2018 | 8 yrs 1 mo | Vodafone Idea Limited |
| Neena Gupta DIN 02530640 | Director | 17 Sep 2018 | 8 yrs | Vodafone Idea Limited |
| Suresh Choithram Vaswani DIN 02176528 | Director | 08 Feb 2019 | 7 yrs 8 mo | Vodafone Idea Limited |
| Sunil Sood DIN 03132202 | Director | 24 Feb 2021 | 5 yrs 7 mo | Vodafone Idea Limited |
| Sushil Agarwal DIN 00060017 | Director | 04 Aug 2021 | 5 yrs 2 mo | Vodafone Idea Limited |
| Anjani Agrawal DIN 08579812 | Director | 27 Aug 2022 | 4 yrs 1 mo | Vodafone Idea Limited |
| Kumar Mangalam Birla DIN 00012813 | Director | 20 Apr 2023 | 3 yrs 5 mo | Vodafone Idea Limited |
| Rajat Kumar Jain DIN 00046053 | Director | 31 Aug 2024 | 2 yrs 1 mo | Vodafone Idea Limited |
| Selcuk Karacay DIN 10788902 | Director | 30 Oct 2024 | 1 yr 11 mo | Vodafone Idea Limited |
| Sunirmal Talukdar DIN 00920608 | Director | 27 Dec 2024 | 1 yr 9 mo | Vodafone Idea Limited |
IPO & Listings of Idea Cellular
Idea Cellular is a publicly listed company on the NSE with ticker symbol IDEA in India, operating in the Communications sector. As a publicly traded entity, the company provides investors with opportunities to participate in its growth story through equity ownership. The listing enables access to capital markets, enhances corporate visibility, and provides liquidity for shareholders while maintaining transparency through regulatory compliance and regular financial disclosures.
- IPO date09 Mar 2007
- Listed onNSE: IDEA · BSE: 532822
- Listed entityVodafone Idea Ltd
- Exchange sectorCommunications
Financials of Idea Cellular
Figures of Aditya Birla Telecom Limited, the primary company behind Idea Cellular, for FY 2018. Revenue was ₹336 Cr (-32% year on year). Net profit was ₹316 Cr (94% margin). EBITDA was ₹335 Cr (100% margin).
- ₹336 CrRevenue · FY 2018 · -32% YoY
- ₹316 CrNet profit · 94% margin
- ₹335 CrEBITDA · 100% margin
- ₹10.00 CrPaid-up capital
Balance sheet, profit and loss, cash flow and ratios of Aditya Birla Telecom Limited are on its company page.
Detailed financial statements for Idea Cellular
Statement rows, ratios, five-year trends and downloadable financials of the group companies require an active premium plan.
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Investments & Acquisitions by Idea Cellular
Idea Cellular has strategically engaged in corporate development activities, having acquired 1 company. Notable acquisitions include Spice Global.
| Company Name | Description | Domain | Location | Founded | Acquired | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Diversified services in telecom, banking, healthcare, and media are provided. | spiceglobal.com | Noida, India | 1990 | Jun 2008 | $632.17M |
Complete acquisition details for Idea Cellular
Acquired stakes, deal sources and the complete acquisition history require an active premium plan.
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Timeline of Idea Cellular
5 dated milestones of Idea Cellular across 23 years, from founding to its latest funding, stage changes and deals.
- Founded Idea Cellular is founded.
- Funding First funding round of $400.0M.
- IPO Lists on the stock exchange (IPO).
- Acquisition Acquires Spice Global.
- Funding Latest funding round, Post-IPO, of $547.0M.
Competitors of Idea Cellular
Idea Cellular operates in a dynamic and competitive business environment, facing competition from various established players and emerging companies in the market. The competitive landscape includes prominent companies such as Jio, MTN, Airtel, Proximus Group and AT&T, among others.
| Company Name | Domain | Founded | HQ Location | Total funding | Employees | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| jio.com | 2010 | Navi Mumbai, India | $20.11B | 63,923 | Provider of telecommunication services | |
| mtn.com | 1994 | Johannesburg, South Africa | $7.05M | 18,931 | MTN Group is recognized as a leading telecommunications provider in Africa. | |
| airtel.in | 1995 | Gurugram, India | – | – | Airtel is recognized as a provider of telecommunications and internet services. | |
| proximus.com | 1994 | Brussels, Belgium | – | 11,634 | Telephony, internet, television, and network-based ICT services are provided. | |
| att.com | 1876 | Dallas, United States | – | 144,811 | Mobile internet, TV, and telecommunication services are provided. | |
| optus.com.au | 1981 | North Ryde, Australia | $19.72M | – | Mobile internet services are provided for homes and offices. | |
| dna.fi | 1999 | Helsinki, Finland | $188.17M | – | Integrated telecommunication and TV services are provided across Finland. | |
| telecomitalia.com | 1994 | Rome, Italy | – | 59,429 | Integrated telecom service provider |
Detailed competitors of Idea Cellular
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Web traffic of Idea Cellular
Websites that share an audience with Idea Cellular (ideacellular.com).
Websites whose visitors overlap most with Idea Cellular. Affinity shows how closely the audiences match.
| Website | Domain | Audience affinity | Monthly visits | Global rank | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rcom.co.in | 100% | 8.2K | #2,907,891 | View details | |
| tataindicom.com | 100% | – | – | View details | |
| airtel.in | 100% | 26.2M | #2,149 | View details | |
| aircel.com | 100% | 3.3K | #5,462,344 | View details | |
| vodafone.in | 100% | 34K | – | View details | |
| •••••••••• | ••••••.com | ••% | •.•M | #••••• | – |
| •••••••••• | ••••••.com | ••% | •.•M | #••••• | – |
| •••••••••• | ••••••.com | ••% | •.•M | #••••• | – |
All 21 similar websites and full traffic analytics for Idea Cellular
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- 21 similar websites
- Audience overlap
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Latest news on Idea Cellular
Complete news archive for Idea Cellular
Full article history, source details, and older brand coverage require an active premium plan.
- Full article archive
- Source and publication date
- Older coverage
- Brand-specific news history
Verified entity values are shown only after access is granted.
Similar companies to Idea Cellular
10 companies that operate in the same segment as Idea Cellular (Telecom Operators), ranked by their profile score on The Company Check.
| Company | Description | Founded | Location | Total funding | Revenue | Employees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MTN Group is recognized as a leading telecommunications provider in Africa. | 1994 | Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | USD 7.05 M | USD 13.7 B | – | |
Global telecommunications company | 1995 | Delhi, Delhi, India | USD 292 M | USD 4.86 B | 4,250 | |
Telephony, internet, television, and network-based ICT services are provided. | 1994 | Brussels, Brussels-capital Region, Belgium | – | USD 7.08 B | 11,634 | |
Mobile telecommunications, internet, and energy services are provided globally. | 1981 | Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan | – | USD 44.14 B | 74,952 | |
Mobile internet, TV, and telecommunication services are provided. | 1876 | Dallas, Texas, United States | – | USD 125.65 B | 140,990 | |
Mobile internet services are provided for homes and offices. | 1981 | North Ryde, New South Wales, Australia | USD 19.72 M | – | – | |
Sky is recognized as a provider of TV, broadband, and mobile services. | 1990 | Isleworth, England, United Kingdom | – | – | 31,000 | |
Mobile and fixed-line telecommunication services are provided across Europe. | 1989 | The Hague, South Holland, Netherlands | – | USD 6.82 B | 9,660 | |
Provider of integrated telecommunication services | 1984 | Seoul, South Korea | – | USD 11.84 B | 5,490 | |
Integrated telecom and IPTV services are provided to Canadian customers. | 1874 | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada | – | USD 14.86 B | 106,800 |
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Frequently Asked Questions about Idea Cellular
Idea Cellular was founded in 1995 and raised its 1st funding round 11 years after it was founded.
Idea Cellular is headquartered in Mumbai, India. It is registered at Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
Idea Cellular is a funded company, having raised a total of $522M across 9 funding rounds to date. The company's 1st funding round was a Private Equity Round of $400M, raised on Oct 2006.
The primary company behind Idea Cellular, Aditya Birla Telecom Limited, reported revenue of ₹336 Cr for FY 2018, down 32% year on year.
Idea Cellular was established in 1995 and is headquartered in Mumbai, India. Operations are centered in the telecommunication sector, where mobile voice, data, and messaging services are delivered to subscribers nationwide. Coverage is maintained through a widespread network infrastructure, supporting connectivity in urban and rural areas. The company functions as a key player in Indias wireless market, with services tailored to individual and enterprise needs.
Idea Cellular's top competitors include MTN, Proximus Group and AT&T.
Yes, Idea Cellular is publicly traded on NSE under the ticker symbol IDEA.
Idea Cellular has made 1 acquisition, including Spice Global.
Idea Cellular has 7 investors. Key investors include Axiata Group, International Finance Corporation, Export Development Canada, First State Investments, and USTDA.
Idea Cellular is associated with 2 legal entities: Aditya Birla Telecom Limited, Vodafone Idea Limited.
The legal entities of Idea Cellular currently have 21 directors, including Himanshu Kapania, Ashwani Windlass, Sunil Sood and others.