# Tata Docomo > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Tata_Docomo > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Tata_Docomo.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tata_Docomo > Source revision: 1313374695 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{short description|Indian telecommunications company}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}} {{use Indian English|date=July 2015}} {{Infobox company | name = TATA DOCOMO | logo = Tata_Docomo_Logo.png | logo_size = 250px | former_name = Tata Docomo | type = [Subsidiary](/source/Subsidiary) | industry = [Telecommunications](/source/Telecommunications) | foundation = {{Start date and age|df=y|2008|11}} | defunct = {{End date and age|df=y|2019|07|01}} | fate = Acquired by [Bharti Airtel](/source/Bharti_Airtel) | location = [Mumbai](/source/Mumbai), [Maharashtra](/source/Maharashtra), India | owner = | members = 20.04 million (March 2018){{cite web|url=https://main.trai.gov.in/sites/default/files/PRNo05Eng18012019_0.pdf|title=Press Release on Telecom Subscription Data as on 12 February, 2018|date=17 March 2018|website=Telecom Regulatory Authority of India|access-date=21 March 2018|archive-date=12 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212131232/https://main.trai.gov.in/sites/default/files/PRNo05Eng18012019_0.pdf|url-status=dead}} | num_employees = 5,015{{cite web|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/internet/tata-teleservices-users-to-be-moved-to-airtel-under-icr-pact/articleshow/61755712.cms|title= Tata Docomo|website=Economic Times|date=20 November 2017|access-date=23 November 2017}} | parent = [Bharti Airtel](/source/Bharti_Airtel) | area_served = India | products = {{ubl|[Mobile telephony](/source/Mobile_telephony)|[Wireless Internet](/source/Wireless_Internet)|[Internet services](/source/Internet_services)}} }} '''Tata Docomo''' was an [Indian mobile network operator](/source/List_of_telecom_companies_in_India), a wholly owned subsidiary of [Tata Teleservices](/source/Tata_Teleservices) deriving its name from [NTT Docomo](/source/NTT_Docomo) who invested in the company in 2008. In October-2017, [Bharti Airtel](/source/Bharti_Airtel) announced a merger deal with [Tata Teleservices](/source/Tata_Teleservices) and the acquisition of Tata Docomo.{{cite web | url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/bharti-airtel-completes-merger-of-tata-tele-s-consumer-mobile-businesses-119070101217_1.html |title= Airtel acquired Tata Mobile Business |publisher= Business Standard |date=1 July 2019 |access-date=3 July 2019 }} As of 07-July-2019, all Tata Docomo users were migrated to Bharti Airtel and hence became Airtel users. The consumer mobile businesses of Tata Docomo, [Tata Teleservices](/source/Tata_Teleservices) (TTSL) and Tata Teleservices Maharashtra Limited (TTML) have been merged into [Bharti Airtel](/source/Bharti_Airtel) from 01-July-2019.{{cite web | url=https://www.livemint.com/industry/telecom/airtel-completes-merger-of-tata-teleservices-consumer-mobile-business-1562001016569.html |title= Airtel Completes Merger of Tata |publisher= Livemint |date=1 July 2019 |access-date=4 July 2019 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/info-tech/airtel-tata-tele-merger-completed/article28251509.ece |title= Airtel's Tata merger deal |publisher= Business Line |date=1 July 2019 |access-date=3 July 2019 }}{{cite web | url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/telecom/telecom-news/tata-teleservices-merger-dot-seeks-rs-7200-crore-bank-guarantee-from-airtel/articleshow/68833052.cms |title= DoT approved deal of Tata and Bharti Airtel |publisher= Economic Times |date=11 April 2019 |access-date= 5 May 2019 }} ==History== {{Further|Tata Group}} Tata Docomo was part of the Indian conglomerate [Tata Group](/source/Tata_Group). The company received the licence to operate GSM services in nineteen telecom circles and was allotted spectrum in eighteen of these circles and launched GSM services on 24-June-2009. It began operations first in [South India](/source/South_India) and had operated GSM services in eighteen of twenty-two telecom circles. It had licences to operate in [Delhi](/source/Delhi) but had not been allocated spectrum from the Government.{{cite web|url=http://www.askbiography.com/bio/Tata_DoCoMo.html/about-www.askbiography.com/bio/Tata_DoCoMo.html.aspx |title=About Tata DOCOMO | 3G Mobiles in India | 3G Network |publisher=Askbiography.com |access-date=2012-06-28}} Docomo provided services throughout India. Tata Docomo offered both [prepaid](/source/Prepaid_mobile_phone) and postpaid [Mobile Phone](/source/Mobile_phone) services. It became very popular with its one-second pulse, especially in [semi-urban](/source/Rural%E2%80%93urban_fringe) and rural areas. In November-2008, [NTT Docomo](/source/NTT_Docomo) invested {{INRConvert|12740|c|year=2009}} in Tata Teleservices, at {{INRConvert|117|year=2009}} a share for a 26.5% stake in the latter.{{Cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/tatas-agree-to-pay-1-18-bn-to-ntt-docomo-for-exit/articleshow/57394121.cms|title=Tatas agree to pay $1.18 bn to NTT DoCoMo for exit|date=2 February 2017|work=The Times of India|access-date=10 September 2017}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/tata-offers-to-buy-out-docomo-at-rs-23-3-a-share-115071900208_1.html|title=Tata offers to buy out Docomo at Rs 23.3 a share|last=Chatterjee|first=Dev|date=2015-07-20|work=Business Standard India|access-date=2017-09-10}} Docomo, TTSL and Tata Sons had in March-2009 signed shareholder agreement for the business alliance. In March-2009, Docomo acquired 27.31% of Tata Teleservices for Rs 12,924 crore and 20.25% in Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) Ltd, the listed arm of TTSL, for {{INR}}949 crore. Overall, Docomo held 26.5% in Tata Teleservices.{{Cite news|url=http://www.firstpost.com/business/docomos-india-exit-gets-painful-tatas-offer-just-rs-23-34-share-tata-tele-stake-2351276.html|title=DoCoMo's India exit gets more painful after Tatas offer just Rs 23.34 a share for Tata Tele stake|date=2015-07-20|work=Firstpost|access-date=2017-09-10|language=en-US}} On 05-November-2010, Tata Docomo became the first private sector telecom company to launch [3G](/source/3G) services in India. Tata Docomo had about 49 million users at the end of March-2017. In April-2011, Tata Docomo signed [Bollywood](/source/Hindi_cinema) actor [Ranbir Kapoor](/source/Ranbir_Kapoor) as its [brand ambassador](/source/brand_ambassador) on a three-year contract.{{cite news| url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-04-07/news/29392642_1_tata-docomo-tata-docomo-brand-ambassador | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131231000009/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-04-07/news/29392642_1_tata-docomo-tata-docomo-brand-ambassador | url-status=dead | archive-date=31 December 2013 | work=The Times Of India | title=Tata DOCOMO ropes in Ranbir Kapoor as brand ambassador | date=2011-04-07}} For the southern states of [Tamil Nadu](/source/Tamil_Nadu) and [Andhra Pradesh](/source/Andhra_Pradesh), actors [Vijay](/source/Vijay_(actor)) and [Ram Charan](/source/Ram_Charan) were the brand ambassadors respectively. In October-2017, [Bharti Airtel](/source/Bharti_Airtel) announced its acquisition of Tata Docomo having roughly 17 million subscribers.{{cite news|title=Bharti Airtel acquires Tata's mobile arm|url=http://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/bharti-airtel-to-acquire-tatas-consumer-mobile-business/article19846171.ece|access-date=23 April 2018|work=[The Hindu](/source/The_Hindu)|date=12 October 2017}} ===Rebranding & Reformation=== On 20-October-2011, the [Tata Group](/source/Tata_Group) brought its brands – Indicom ([CDMA](/source/Code-division_multiple_access)), Walky (Fixed Wireless Phone), and Photon INTERNET – under the Tata Docomo brand. All subscribers to these services were transited to Tata Docomo's network on 20-October-2011. In 2015, Virgin Mobile India also merged with Tata Docomo. [T24 Mobile](/source/Airtel_India) merged with Tata Docomo on 15-August-2018.{{cite web|url=http://telecomtalk.info/tata-tele-data-products-get-new-identity-with-docomo-brand/80157/|title=Tata Tele Data Products Get New Identity With Docomo Brand|date=19 October 2011}} All operations across India of said companies had merged into Tata Docomo's entity to form the second largest CDMA and GSM network in India. ===NTT Docomo Exit=== According to the agreement between the [Tata Group](/source/Tata_Group) and [NTT Docomo](/source/NTT_Docomo), the latter had the right to sell its stake if Tata Docomo missed performance targets, with Tata getting the right of the first refusal.{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2016/11/14/with-docomo-tata-dispute-raging-india-discourages-foreign-investment/#5ff7cb946b03|title=With DoCoMo-Tata Dispute Raging, India Discourages Foreign Investment|work=[Forbes](/source/Forbes)|access-date=14 November 2016}} On 25-April-2014, NTT Docomo had announced that they would sell all of their shares in Tata Docomo and exit the [Indian telecom industry](/source/Telecommunications_in_India) as they had incurred a total loss of $1.3 billion. Under the joint venture agreement between the two groups, NTT Docomo would either increase its stake from 26.5% to 51% or sell all of its shares, depending on the performance of Tata Docomo in the Indian market.{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/DoCoMo-to-exit-India-at-1-3-billion-loss/articleshow/34218148.cms |title=DoCoMo to exit India at $1.3 billion loss |date=26 April 2014 |work=The Times of India |author=Reeba Zachariah}} Since Tata was unable to find a buyer for the shares, they sought the approval of the [RBI](/source/Reserve_Bank_of_India), in November 2014, to buy back the shares from NTT Docomo for $1.1 billion (at {{INR}}58.045 per share), half the price paid by them in 2009. The RBI had approved the deal in January-2015, but reversed their decision and rejected the deal in March-2015, citing [FEMA](/source/Foreign_Exchange_Management_Act) regulations.{{cite news|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/telecom/rbi-rejects-tata-offer-for-docomos-teleservices-stake/articleshow/46679352.cms |title=RBI rejects Tata offer for DoCoMo's Teleservices stake |date=25 March 2015 |work=The Economic Times |author=ET Bureau}} Following the RBI decision, the Tata Group offered to purchase Docomo's stake at {{INR}}23.34 a share on the basis of a fair market value determined on 30-June-2014 by [PwC](/source/PwC). NTT Docomo then moved the [London Court of International Arbitration](/source/London_Court_of_International_Arbitration) seeking a valuation of {{INR}}58 a share.{{cite news|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/docomo-plans-foreclosure-action-against-tata-sons-115010500582_1.html |title=Docomo plans foreclosure action against Tata Sons |date=6 January 2015 |work=Business Standard |author=Dev Chatterjee}} On 28-February-2017, Tata and NTT Docomo resolved their dispute, after the former announced that it would pay the latter US$1.18 billion in exchange for NTT Docomo's shares in the joint venture.{{cite web|last1=Bureau|first1=Our|title=Tata Sons-NTT DoCoMo bury hatchet|url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/info-tech/tata-sonsntt-docomo-bury-hatchet/article9563555.ece|website=The Hindu Business Line|access-date=28 February 2017|language=en|date=28 February 2017}} On 31-October, $1.27 billion was paid to NTT Docomo by Tata Sons, thus ending the dispute.{{cite web|url=http://www.livemint.com/Industry/OEfLrYc0PPUT5i3oOBN1ZL/NTT-Docomo-gets-12-billion-payment-from-Tata-Sons-dispute.html|title=Tata-Docomo dispute settled as Tata Sons pays $1.27 bn arbitration award|first=Shally Seth|last=Mohile|date=31 October 2017}} ===Acquisition by Bharti Airtel=== On 12-October-2017, Bharti Airtel proposed a deal for the acquisition of Tata Group's Telecommunications including, Tata Teleservices and Tata Docomo. Tata Group made a deal with Airtel, to sell its assets in a debt-cash-free deal which will only include TTSL's spectrum liability.{{cite web|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/company/corporate-trends/tata-teleservices-to-sell-its-wireless-mobile-business-to-bharti-airtel/articleshow/61051618.cms|title=Tata Teleservices to sell its wireless mobile business to Bharti Airtel|first1=Arijit|last1=Barman|first2=Romit|last2=Guha|date=13 October 2017|via=The Economic Times}} The Competition Commission of India (CCI) and the Department of Telecom (DoT) gave approval for Airtel to proceed with the deal. ==Network== ===3G=== On 19-May-2010, the 3G [spectrum auction](/source/spectrum_auction) in India ended. Tata Teleservices paid {{INR}}5,864.29 crores for spectrum in 10 circles. These circles obtained 3G licences and they are [Madhya Pradesh](/source/Madhya_Pradesh) & [Chhattisgarh](/source/Chhattisgarh), [Gujarat](/source/Gujarat), [Haryana](/source/Haryana), [Karnataka](/source/Karnataka), [Kerala](/source/Kerala), [Maharashtra](/source/Maharashtra) & [Goa](/source/Goa), [Punjab](/source/Punjab%2C_India), and [Uttar Pradesh (West)](/source/Western_Uttar_Pradesh).{{cite web|url=https://www.medianama.com/2010/05/223-3g-auction-india-ends-provisional-winners/|title=India's 3G Auction Ends; Operator And Circle-Wise Results|date=19 May 2010}}{{cite web|url=http://www.lightreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=202824&f_src=lightreading_gnews |title=Light Reading India – IP & Convergence – ,Aircel Join Forces for 3G – Telecom News Analysis |publisher=Lightreading.com |date=9 January 2011 |access-date=2014-09-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110816001247/http://www.lightreading.in/document.asp?doc_id=202824 |archive-date=16 August 2011}}{{cite web|url=http://telecomtalk.info/tata-docomo-and-aircel-terminate-3g-roaming-deal/84018/#more-84018 |title=Tata Docomo and Aircel Terminate 3G Roaming Deal |publisher=Telecomtalk.info |date=2011-12-14 |access-date=2012-06-28}}{{cite web|title=Docomo Launches Facility for users to add unused 2g/3g Data|url=http://www.wapmasterszone.com/2014/12/tata-docomo-carry-forward.html|website=www.wapmasterszone.com|publisher=WapmasterZone|access-date=2 February 2015}} ==References== {{reflist}} {{Bharti Enterprises}} {{Tata Group|state=collapsed}} {{Telecommunication companies of India|state=collapsed}} Category:Telecommunications companies of India Category:Mobile phone companies of India Category:Mass media companies based in Delhi Category:Companies based in New Delhi Category:Indian companies established in 2008 Category:Mass media companies established in 2008 Category:Telecommunications companies established in 2008 Category:NTT Docomo Category:Tata Teleservices Category:Bharti Airtel Category:2008 establishments in Delhi Category:Companies disestablished in 2019 --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Tata Docomo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tata_Docomo) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tata_Docomo?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.