Telecom Wars: The Race to Capture a Billion Voices

by Deepali Gupta

Overview

Today, mobile connections are so readily accessible that it is perhaps easy to forget the time when only the elite had access to a phone provided by the sole operator: the Government of India. It all changed in the early 1990s as liberalization stirred the Indian economy out of its decades of complacency.

The Telecom Wars begins its narration from those times, traversing the uncertain early years of the mobile phone industry. It is a vivid portrait of the fierce competition as Tata, Birla, Reliance, and Bharti bid to capture the lion’s share of India’s billion voices. As they did, India’s institutions to regulate and manage the sector also evolved—the ministry separated from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT), and state-run operators MTNL and BSNL also joined the fray. Policy makers, entrepreneurs, and bureaucrats worked tirelessly to change India’s cellular topography.

Fast-paced and expertly written, veteran financial journalist Deepali Gupta’s account is both a comprehensive history and a work of great business insight.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780143467595
Publisher:	Penguin Random House India Pvt. Ltd
Publication date:	08/19/2025
Pages:	520
Product dimensions:	6.50(w) x 1.50(h) x 9.50(d)

About the Author

Deepali Gupta, former senior assistant editor at the Economic Times, has been a financial journalist for two decades, covering the economy and large corporate houses in India. Over the span of her career, she has worked with the Indian Express Group, Network18, Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones Newswires.

Editorial Reviews

A fascinating account of the evolution of the telecom industry in India. From waiting nearly 18 years to get a landline connection to a mobile in the hands of a billion people is nothing short of a revolution which has acted as a great leveller irrespective of the level of education, literacy, size, wealth and position. Deepali has painstakingly researched and gathered data and information to weave a story with a lot of drama and suspense to keep reader interest alive. It has all the ingredients of a Wild West adventure—ruthless corporate rivalries, close relationships going sour, and the vagaries of government policies—which fluctuated and played favourites but often brought clarity and uniformity. Also excellently covered is the innovation in selection and use of technology and sales and marketing to match those in the FMCG industry, especially the sharp focus on penetration where the ultimate winner is the customer!
This is a must read as what the book reflects is true for all industries in many countries.

Ravi Kant

The smart phone revolution which happened over the same time as the liberalisation of the economy is a fascinating chapter in the history of modern India. Deepali Gupta is the ideal person to bring this story alive. She has followed the ins and outs, ups and downs of the developments, the rivalries, the successes and the failures in this saga telling us about who is who and what they had to do to be part of the globalisation of the economy. This volume is a mine of information, a gold mine. If you wish to follow the Indian story, here is your invaluable guide.

Lord Professor Meghnad Desai

The most compelling stories are told by those who have lived them from the front row. Only a few understand the telecom sector as deeply as Deepali Gupta, and this book offers an insightful look into a complex industry. But what sets it apart is how it goes beyond the data and policy to capture the human stories that shaped its biggest moments, making it an engaging and memorable read.

Anish Shah

The Telecom Wars is a captivating account of India’s telecom sector evolution from a state-controlled monopoly to a private sector-led oligopoly, connecting over a billion people. The book took me through the long wait for landlines in the 1980s to the privatization boom of the 1990s, with major players like Bharti Airtel, BPL, and Reliance emerging. Deepali’s insightful narrative covers the political challenges, policy reforms, and the 2G spectrum scam that reshaped the industry. What stood out to me was her thorough research, particularly on Airtel’s rise, the Batata Saga, and the Hutchison-Max-Vodafone journey. The book also sheds light on RCom and Idea-Vodafone’s struggles which I saw playing out. A highlight is Reliance Jio’s groundbreaking 2016 move to offer free voice calls and ultra-cheap data. As India moves toward 5G and a digital future with AI, IoT, and smart cities, this book provides a detailed understanding of the sector’s growth and challenges.

Ashu Suyash