PROJECT REPORT

ON
Data Mining: “Understanding Customer
Preferences in the Telecommunication Industry
for Airtel -NCR ”

Session: 2024-2025
Galgotia’s University

Submitted To: Dr. Sudhanshu Singh

Submitted By: Group 9 (Section 17)

Rishabh Mukherjee(22GSOB1090065)
Sumit Singh Patwal (22GSOB1090031)
Sritej Kumar (22GSOB1090214)
Ujjwal Gupta (22GSOB1090132)
Pintu Kumar (22GSOB1090096)
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Abstract:
The Indian telecom industry has grown into a billion industry and in this highly
competitive industry there are some key major players, which holds a
significant amount of market share.
This research paper aims to delve into customer preferences within the
telecommunication industry through a questionnaire survey-based approach.
The study focuses on analyzing the factors influencing customer choices and
preferences regarding telecom and internet services, covering both voice and
data usage through a simplified survey and analysis.
This survey was focused towards Bharti Airtel Limited, commonly known as
Airtel. In the region of Delhi NCR.
The survey questionnaire was designed to collect primary data from a diverse
sample of respondents keeping in mind their privacy and ethical consideration,
covering individual users, and corporate users. Data analysis techniques
including data cleaning, exploration, and visualization, were applied to derive
key insights and trends through different data analytics method like Descriptive
analytics, Correlation analysis, Regression analysis, Text mining, Data
visualization. Secondary data of different sorts was being used from trustable
sources like News articles, TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India)
reports and surveys to find key insights on customer preference and market
trends.
The findings we interpreted and analyzed to provide valuable recommendations
for telecom service providers to enhance customer satisfaction and improve
business strategies.

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Table of Content

Table of Content 03

04
Introduction and Objective
05
Methodology
05
Scope of the Study
06
Survey Design
10
Data Cleaning
11
Data Exploration
19
Secondary Data Analysis
27
Interpretation

Recommendation 28

Conclusion 29

Sources 30

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Introduction and Objective
The telecommunication industry of India, plays and important role in India’s
high growth rate today, it stands as a cornerstone of India emerging as a
financial power around the world by facilitating communication, connectivity,
and collaboration on a global scale. With the rapid increase of smartphones,
internet-enabled devices, and digital services, the landscape of
telecommunication is continuously evolving, presenting both opportunities and
challenges for the competitive market of India in this dynamic sector.
Amidst all of this, understanding customer and their preferences in the
telecommunication industry is paramount. Telecom service providers (TSPs)
and internet service providers (ISPs) are facing increasing pressure to not only
meet but exceed customer expectations, delivering seamless experiences,
innovative solutions, and exceptional value propositions that too at a
competitive price range.
This report endeavors to delve deep into the mindset of customer and their
preferences within the telecommunication industry, encompassing a
comprehensive analysis of both voice and data services for the key major player
of the telecommunication industry Bharti Airtel Limited which is commonly
known as Airtel.
Airtel is one of India’s leading telecommunications companies and is
recognized as a global telecommunications powerhouse. It was founded in 1995
by Sunil Bharti Mittal, Airtel has emerged as one of the largest mobile network
operators in the world, serving over 570 million users worldwide and over 374
active million users in India as of January 2024.
By examining the factors influencing consumer choices, usage patterns, and
satisfaction levels, this study seeks to illuminate deeper insights that can inform
strategic decision-making and drive business success.

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Methodology
The methodology of this report was based on survey questionnaire and
secondary data collection. The survey questionnaire was designed to provide
preference, usage patterns, satisfaction levels, and reasons for any change in
service providers. Data was collected from an approximate similar age group of
respondents to analyze the telecom preference of young adult age group.
Data cleaning and exploration techniques were used to ensure data quality and
identify key trends in the survey responses.
Usage of secondary data had been used from online articles, newspapers, and
from TRAI research and survey data.

Scope of the Study

• To identify customer satisfaction level of Airtel TSP/ISP.

• To know about the customer preference in the telecom industry.

• This study aims towards collecting information about consumers

psychology towards Airtel and other TSP/ISP, thus finding insights in
understanding customer’s likeness and help in developing
recommendations which will help them in increase customer likeness
towards Airtel.

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Survey Design
Demographic and Personal Information:
Q1. Gender
1. Male
2. Female
3. Prefer not to say

Q2. Age
1. Under 18
2. 18-24
3. 25-34
4. 35-44
5. 45-54
6. 55-64

Q3. Location
1. Delhi
2. Noida
3. Greater Noida
4. Ghaziabad
5. Other

Telecom Service Provider Information:

Q4. Current Telecom Service Provider
1. Airtel
2. Jio
3. BSNL

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4. Vi (Vodafone Idea)
5. Other

Q5. What is your data plan every day?

1. Less than 1 GB
2. 1 GB
3. 1.5 GB
4. 2 GB
5. More than 2 GB
6. Other

Q6. How long have you been using this provider?

1. Less than 6 months
2. 6 months to 1 year
3. 1-2 years
4. More than 2 years

Internet Service Provider Information:

Q7. Current Internet Service Provider
1. Same as telecom service provider
2. Other
Q8. Monthly Plan (Approx. in INR)
1. Answer

Q9. Purpose of Usage (Select all that apply)

1. Personal use

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2. Work-related
3. Entertainment
4. Communication
5. Other

Q10. What is your preference for call?

1. Voice calls
2. Data calls (Whatsapp, Telegram, etc.)

Satisfaction and Preferences:

Q11. How satisfied are you with your current telecom/internet service provide?
1. Very Satisfied
2. Satisfied
3. Neutral
4. Dissatisfied
5. Very Dissatisfied

Q12. Network Coverage

Not Important 1-5 Very Important

Q13. Price/affordability
Not Important 1-5 Very Important

Q14. Data Speed

Not Important 1-5 Very Important

Q15. Customer service

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Not Important 1-5 Very Important

Q 16. Offers and Promotions

Not Important 1-5 Very Important

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Data Cleaning
This step explores the intricacies of the review of collected data and cleaning
procedures were done to ensure consistency and completeness while mitigating
any error in the data.

The data cleaning process involved:

1. Handling Missing and Misrepresented Values:
Few missing values were identified and addressed appropriately.
For numeric values written in a wrong manner and with spelling errors
were corrected and standardize to maintain consistency throughout the
data. (Shown in Figure 1)

Figure 1: Spelling Mistakes are shown in Yellow

2. Removing Wrong or Incomplete Values:

Entries which were found incorrect were removed to ensure accuracy in
analysis. (As shown in Figure 2)

Figure 2: Highlighted in Red

3. Data Validation:
Data were validated to ensure accuracy and integrity. Checks were
performed through Email Id’s to verify the responses of every participants

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 to ensure data validity. Data consistency were checked to verify responses
and to identify anomalies or inconsistencies that required further
investigation.

Data Exploration
Moving ahead with data cleaning process, the dataset was explored to identify
key trends and patterns observed in the survey responses of total participants of
32. Exploratory data analysis techniques were applied to gain insights into the
data distribution, relationship between two variables, and areas of interest.
1. Descriptive Statistics:

I. Frequency Table for Age Group

Age Group No. of Users

Under 18 1
18-24 31

Frequency table for age group demonstrates that 96.8% of our

participants are from age group of 18-24 and rest are from Under
18 age group. This implies that this report will cater to
understanding customer preference for youth.

II. Current Telecom Service Provider Brand Share

Brand Share - Current Telcom Service Provider

6%

25%

69%

Jio Airtel VI Vodafone Idea

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 Current Telecom Provider brand share percentage of different brands
were as follows :-
• Jio: 69%
• Airtel: 25%
• VI Vodafone Idea: 6%
Here it can be clearly seen that Jio holds the most share of users
compared to other brands based on the survey.

III. Frequency Table for Daily Plan Per Day

Maximum no. of users can be seen using the 1.5 GB/day plan for
Daily plan per day No. of users User Percentage
More than 2 GB 3 9.375
2 GB 7 21.875
1.5 GB 15 46.875
1 GB 5 15.625
Less than 1 GB 1 3.125
5G Unlimited 1 3.125
Total 32 100
any brand, after that 2 GB/day turn out to be the most popular for
adult generation.

IV. Monthly expenditure of users (Average expense, Median

expense, Modal expense, and Total expense)

Monthly Average
Age Expenditure Expense Median Expense Modal Expense

18-24 Jio 435.5 347.5 299

18-24 Airtel 395.25 274 299

18-24 Vodafone Idea 274.5 274.5 #N/A

18-24 Total 415.375 299 299

The average age of user from the survey came out to be age group of 18-
24. Where evaluating monthly expenses for different brands it can be
seen that:

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 Jio: Jio users are paying the most out of other brands at average expense
of Rs. 436 and modal expense of Rs. 299. Though Jio being cheaper than
other brands. It can be observed that most of the users of this age group
are paying for the 1 GB/day to 1.5 GB/day mostly where plans above or
near Rs. 299 per month were mostly popular.

Airtel: Airtel users are paying the second highest at average expense of
Rs. 395 and modal expense of Rs. 274. It can be observed for the Airtel
most users are opting for 1.5 GB/day to 2GB/day plans which were
cheaper than Jio’s monthly plans. Airtel users are paying less than 299 per
month.

One speculated reason could be their pricing strategy as shown in Figure

3.

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 Figure 3

In a smart choice of pricing plans, Airtel decided to price their plans in

such a way that the user will find more data and advantage just by paying
Rs. 20 extra while getting 2 more days of plan. This could be a

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 speculative answer on why Airtel users opt more for 2 GB/day plans
compare to 1.5 GB/day.

Vodafone Idea: Vodafone Idea users are spending approximately the

same as Airtel users, at average expense of Rs. 278. It can be seen that
Vodafone Idea users are paying on an average of Rs. 299 per month for
1.5 GB/day plan.

V. Factors important to user while choosing a Telecom/Internet

Service Provider

Factors important while choosing a ISP/TSP

Somewhat Important Not Important Neutral Important Very Important

Offers and Promotions

Customer service

Data speed

Price/Affordibility

Network Coverage

-15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Basis on the analysis of the chart, we can state that for the user of Delhi
NCR, Network Coverage is the most important factor while choosing a
ISP/TSP. It can be seen that the factors can be arranged in a descending
order of importance for users: Network Coverage> Data Speed >
Customer Service > Price/Affordibility > Offers and Promotions.

Reliability Analysis

Scale Reliability Statistics

SD Cronbach's α

scale 0.868 0.910

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 Cronbach’s alpha of 0.910 shows high reliability and strong internal
consistency, as well as Standard Deviation of 0.868 shows low spread of
data from the mean.

As we know that the factor importance data is reliable, we can assume a

hypothesis between Network Coverage and Customer overall satisfaction
with their TSP/ISP.
Null Hypothesis: There is no relationship between Network Coverage
and Customer overall satisfaction with their TSP/ISP.
Alternative Hypothesis: There is relationship between Network
Coverage and Customer overall satisfaction with their TSP/ISP.

Airtel:
Correlation (Network Coverage to Customer Satisfaction):
Correlation

SA1 FA1

SA1 Pearson's r —
p-value —

FA1 Pearson's r -0.931 —

p-value < .001 —

Linear Regression (All Factors to Customer Satisfaction):

Model Fit Measures

Model R R²

1 0.988 0.976

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 Model Coefficients - SA1

Predictor Estimate SE t p

Intercept 4.0845 0.393 10.404 0.009

FA1 -0.1828 0.192 -0.952 0.442
FA2 -0.3417 0.138 -2.480 0.131
FA3 0.0587 0.138 0.427 0.711
FA4 -0.3390 0.188 -1.803 0.213
FA5 0.1943 0.147 1.318 0.318

A negative correlation of -0.931 shows strong negative correlation

between Network Coverage and Customer overall satisfaction with their
TSP/ISP. Similar observations can be seen for Linear Regression
Analysis for Network Coverage (FA1) which has a p value of 0.009.

Hence our Alternative Hypothesis stands true for this case of Airtel.

Jio:

Correlation (Network Coverage to Customer Satisfaction):

Correlation Matrix

FA1 SA1

FA1 Pearson's r —
df —
p-value —

SA1 Pearson's r 0.053 —

df 20 —
p-value 0.816 —

Linear Regression (All Factors to Customer Satisfaction):

Model Fit Measures

Model R R²

1 0.167 0.0280

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 Model Coefficients - SA1

Predictor Estimate SE t p

Intercept 1.8841 1.288 1.4624 0.163

FA1 0.0462 0.437 0.1058 0.917
FA2 0.3010 0.528 0.5698 0.577
FA3 0.0183 0.630 0.0290 0.977
FA4 -0.2366 0.558 -0.4239 0.677
FA5 -0.0742 0.374 -0.1984 0.845

A positive correlation of 0.053 shows weak positive correlation between

Network Coverage and Customer overall satisfaction with their TSP/ISP.
Similar observations can be seen for Linear Regression Analysis for
Network Coverage (FA1) which has a p value of 0.163.

Hence our Null Hypothesis stands true for this case of Jio.

VI:

There was not enough data to do correlation and linear regression

analysis for Vodafone Idea (VI).

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 Secondary Data Analysis
To further understand customer preference and customer satisfaction of
Telecom Service Providers and Internet Service Providers, We will
analyse some articles and TRAI surveys and reports provided on the
Internet from their respective sources and newspaper articles.

Market share holding of different TSP/ISP:

As of February 29,2024, Jio holds: 35.14%, Bharti Airtel hold: 25.89%

and BSNL holds: 19.61%.

Reliance Jio has captured a 40% market share in cellphone connectivity

segment of the Indian telecom market in February 2024. In February
2024,Jio added a significant 3.5 million customers, bringing its total
subscribers to 467.58 million.

While, Airtel added 1.5 million, bringing it’s total subscribers to 384.01
million.

Lossmaking telecom Vodafone Idea faced a decline in subscriber,

bringing it’s total subscribers to 220.05 million.

More Insights on Airtel market share over a period:

Bharti Airtel, country’s second-largest telecom service provider, has

seen a stagnant 32.95% in January, compared to 32.45% in the same
month the previous year in mobile segment.

~ There is almost no growth in market share for Airtel in mobile segment

according to TRAI, in December 2023 and January 2024.

Taking a close look at TRAI’s data, Bharti Airtel market share:

November 23: 32.91%

October 23: 32.85%

September 23: 32.85%

August 23: 32.78%

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 July 23: 32.74%

June 23: 32.68%

May 23: 32.57%

April 23: 32.45%

In January 24: Airtel dominates the market as the company added a total
of 3.6 million active users in January 2024, bringing its total active user
base to 381.1 million. It is followed by Jio, which added 1.1 million,
reaching 425.6 million active users in January, while Vodafone Idea lost
1.7 million active users, bringing its active subscriber count to 194.9
million in January 2024.

Even if it is not able to increase market share, Airtel can boast of the
quality of users, which is best in the industry. Airtel leads the industry
with an ARPU of Rs 208, surpassing Jio’s Rs 182 and Vodafone Idea’s
Rs 145.

ARPU: Average Revenue Per User, is a crucial metric used to

measure the average revenue generated by each user over a specific
period of time. It helps in analyzing growth potential on a per-customer
level and aids in revenue modelling.

TRAI Report of 8th April 2024:

Total broadband subscribers in India as of 29th February is 916.77

million.

Monthly growth rate: 0.40%

No. of active wireless users:

Total Telephone Subscribers: 1197.75 million.

Monthly growth rate: 0.38%

Service provider market share of Broadband as of 29th February, 2024:

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 Market Share of Wireline Subscribers as on 29th February, 2024:

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 Market Shares in term of Wireless Subscribers as on 29th February, 2024:

Service Area-wise Monthly Growth Rate of Wireless Subscribers as of

February, 2024:

Delhi: 0.49%, UP (W): 0.44%

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 Monthly growth rate of Telephone Subscribers; Urban: 0.40%, Rural:
0.34%

Overall Tele-density (LSA Wise) – As on 29th February, 2024:

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 *Tele density, also known as telephone density, is the number of
landline phone connections per 100 people in a specific area.

Delhi service area has maximum tell-density of 280.07%

Quarterly Performance Monitoring Report (PMR) on Quality of Service

of Wireless Data Services:

Delhi

UP West

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 Data Speed Information (Wireless ISP):

Map data shows data speed range from 3-5Mbps to >10Mbps speed for
Airtel ISP. Compared to other ISP’s, Airtel comes at second when it
comes to high speed data network.

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 6 Months Average speed data shows the same observation for Airtel
being the second fastest ISP in the Delhi-NCR area.

While the fastest in the segment, Jio internet speed revolves around 25-
30< Mbps. Airtel speed stays at upper bar of 20 Mbps segment.

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Interpretation
Based on the latest data and survey analysis about Airtel as a Telecom Service
Provider and Internet Service Provider, valuable insights have been derived.
Let’s have a look into the interpretation:

1. Customer Preferences and Satisfaction:

• According to the survey data and secondary data both we can

observe the same pattern of Airtel holding a substantial number of
users after Jio. According to TRAI, Airtel encompasses 32.97%
wireless users and according to the survey data Airtel is used by
25% users from the total respondents.

• Analysis of satisfaction levels among Airtel customers indicates a

generally positive sentiment, with a sizable portion of respondents
expressing “Very satisfied” to “Satisfied” with Airtel’s services.

The same can be seen with Airtel’s ARPU of Rs 208, surpassing

Jio’s Rs 182 and Vodafone Idea’s Rs 145. This shows Airtel
quality of users is best in the industry, where average revenue
generated by per customer is higher than it’s competitors.

• Factor’s such as network coverage, data speed, and customer

service has contributed to the overall satisfaction levels reported by
Airtel users.

• Though Airtel users are loyal to them, Airtel still lacks at some
factors like Network Coverage at some areas, this can be observed
by a comment from a response, “I don't feel any Issue in my
Primary Sim Airtel in any location regarding Internet but in
University due to Location Faces some Internet Issue”.

2. Market Trends and Patterns:

• Airtel’s competitive pricing strategies, brand image and attractive
offers resonates well with customers, as evidence this can be seen
by Airtel’s ARPU of Rs. 208, which is the highest of all it’s
competitor’s. Along with high satisfaction levels of respondents.

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 • Trend analysis reveals a consistent pattern of usage among Airtel
customers, with a notable portion of respondents reporting a stable
and long-standing relationship with the service provider.

Recommendations
1. Enhanced Network Infrastructure: Given the importance of network
coverage and data speed to customer satisfaction, Airtel may consider
investing further in expanding and optimizing its network infrastructure
to ensure seamless connectivity and high-speed internet access for
customers across different regions.

2. Competitive Pricing; Offers and Packages: Airtel can continue to

create competitive pricing when compare to Jio. They can innovate and
introduce customized offers and packages tailored to the diverse needs
and preferences of its customer base, thereby enhancing value proposition
and competitiveness in the market.

3. Technological Advancements: Airtel can use emerging technologies

such as 5G and IoT (Internet of Things) as an advantage to position
themselves as a leader in delivering cutting-edge telecom and internet
services, catering to the evolving needs of customers in the digital age.

4. Customer Service and Loyalty: Strengthening customer service

channels and responsiveness can help Airtel address customer queries and
concerns more efficiently, enhancing overall satisfaction levels and
loyalty among customers. They can also opt for loyalty programs to
provide their loyal customers with additional advantage and premium
services.

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Conclusion
In conclusion, the survey findings and secondary data provides valuable insights
into customer preferences and satisfaction level. Through the meticulous design
of the survey questionnaire and the collection of primary data, we have gained a
deeper understanding of customer preferences, usage patterns, and satisfaction
levels among respondents. Airtel throughout India and Delhi – NCR area with
Airtel as prominent player with a significant no. of user base after the industry
leader with approximately 7% less user base in different types of services like
broadband, wired and wireless networks.
Analysis of the survey data has revealed several key findings. We have
observed that telecom service providers play a pivotal role in shaping customer
experiences, with a significant portion of respondents indicating preferences for
specific providers such as Airtel, Jio, Vi (Vodafone Idea), and others. Moreover,
the survey has shed light on the importance of factors such as network coverage,
data speed, pricing, and customer service in driving customer satisfaction and
loyalty.
The high negative correlation obtained from the analysis demonstrates, how
different independent variable such as network coverage, data speed, offers,
pricing, and customer service shows relationship between dependant variable of
customer overall satisfaction while using a telecom/internet service provider.
Based on the survey findings, several recommendations can be proposed for
Airel to enhance customer satisfaction and improve business strategies like
enhancing network infrastructure, and introducing tailored offers and packages
to meet the diverse needs of customers effectively. Furthermore, embracing
technological advancements and prioritizing ethical considerations in
conducting business operations are essential for maintaining customer trust and
fostering long-term relationships.
In closing, the report delves deep into the importance of customer centred
strategies in driving success and improvement in telecommunication industry.
By leveraging the insights gained from this study, businesses can make
informed decisions, enhance service quality, and create value for their
customers, ultimately contributing to the growth and development of the sector.

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Sources
• Jio retains 40% market share in mobile connectivity:
https://www.newindianexpress.com/business/2024/Apr/09/jio-retains-40-
market-share-in-mobile-connectivity

• Airtel mkt share remains stagnant at 32.9%, Jio sees gain in past one
year: https://www.newindianexpress.com/business/2024/Apr/03/airtel-
mkt-share-remains-stagnant-at-329-jio-sees-gain-in-past-one-
year?utm_source=website&utm_medium=related-stories

• TRAI - Telecom Subscription Data as on 29th February, 2024:

https://www.trai.gov.in/sites/default/files/PR_No.18of2024_0.pdf

• https://myspeed.trai.gov.in/

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