Case Study: Vodafone Idea Limited achieves digital-first transformation and major cost savings with IBM

A telecom merger provides an opportunity to innovate

Vodafone Idea Limited (Vi) faced the challenge of merging two major telecom businesses while avoiding disruption to millions of customers and becoming a digital-first organization. To manage this massive consolidation and transformation, Vi turned to IBM Consulting and IBM Services, along with IBM technologies, to redesign its IT and digital landscape at telecom scale.

IBM helped Vi build a “digital factory” and modernize websites, mobile apps, retailer tools, enterprise platforms, cloud infrastructure, and data systems. The results were significant: the merger and integration were completed in 24 months instead of the originally projected three to five years, with minimal or zero customer impact in most projects. Vi consolidated more than 350 applications to about 200, migrated 140 applications to one data center, and has saved USD 600 million so far. Additional outcomes included 7 million new subscribers per month through the digital retailer app, USD 200 million in monthly revenue managed through that app, a 100% increase in digital acquisitions in three months, and major efficiency gains from the new data lake, including a 40% cost reduction and 60% lower operational complexity.

Vodafone Idea Limited

Vineet Chauhan

Vice President