Airtel to offer hybrid solutions for remote and office work models

Bharti Airtel is seeing increasing demand for ‘hybrid’ solutions that accommodate packages for work-from-home and work-from-office models as the COVID-19 pandemic rages on while vaccination efforts are underway.

Airtel CPO Adarsh Nair told Mint that the telco is working on “hybrid work models” for companies.

These packages Nair said include solutions for cloud platforms, cybersecurity software, and video conferencing. He added that the telco would “buy new products as demand evolves.”

The plan he noted is two-fold – first to better package existing technologies, and secondly to buy and package additional technologies into new products as required.

He also hinted at Airtel launching “adtech in a big way” in order to “monetise demand for digital services from premium customers.”

On how these plans will be sold, Nair said the existing infrastructure of direct-to-home, pre-paid, and post-paid services will be used to connect the telco’s large customer base with enterprises – through adtech.

“For instance, Airtel will use the adtech platform to link over-the-top (OTT) content player Hotstar’s offerings, bundled with other plans, to offer to its premium customers,” Nair said.

Funding for adtech technology will be drawn from Airtel’s core business with marginal investment, he added.

Airtel is the second-largest telecom operator in India on basis of customers. Among its corporate customers are more than a million startups and small and medium businesses and over 2,500 large businesses.

Nair hinted at other “five-six incubations like adtech” which are in the works but did not elaborate. Moneycontrol