Vi (Vodafone Idea) is India's third-largest telecom operator with approximately 200 million subscribers as of 2026. Unlike Jio and Airtel, which have invested heavily in streaming and CTV infrastructure, Vi's CTV footprint is significantly smaller. For CTV advertisers, understanding Vi's limited role and the implications for reaching Vi subscribers on connected TV matters for planning in markets where Vi has meaningful presence.
Vi's streaming footprint
Vi does not operate a proprietary streaming platform equivalent to JioTV or Airtel Xstream. Vi's Movies and TV app (formerly Vi Screen) aggregates content from third-party platforms rather than producing originals. It bundles access to select OTT platforms in postpaid plans, but this is a distribution play rather than a walled garden.
The key implication: Vi subscribers who watch CTV do so predominantly through independent OTT platforms — JioHotstar, Zee5, SonyLIV, Netflix, Prime Video — not through a Vi-controlled viewing environment. There is no Vi-specific CTV inventory or Vi-targetable audience segment the way JioHotstar offers Jio subscriber targeting.
Advertising access for reaching Vi subscribers on CTV
Since Vi lacks a streaming ad platform, reaching Vi subscribers through CTV requires the same programmatic routes as reaching any India CTV audience — primarily through JioHotstar, Zee5, SonyLIV, and Samsung TV Plus. Vi subscribers are not identifiable as a distinct addressable segment in these platforms' programmatic systems.
Vi's subscriber base — which skews toward tier 2 and tier 3 cities with higher rural penetration relative to Jio — is reachable on CTV through geographic targeting and semi-urban audience segments on major platforms, but not through telecom-identity targeting.
Vi's financial constraints and CTV implications
Vi has faced significant financial pressure since the 2016–2017 price war with Jio, including large spectrum dues and subscriber losses. This has constrained Vi's ability to invest in streaming infrastructure. For CTV planners, Vi is unlikely to emerge as a meaningful CTV publisher or addressable audience partner in the near term.
How Vi compares to Jio and Airtel in CTV
| Operator | Streaming platform | CTV ad inventory | Subscriber targeting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jio | JioHotstar (40–50% streaming spend) | Extensive; direct IO and programmatic | Yes — Jio subscriber clean room via JioHotstar |
| Airtel | Airtel Xstream Play | Limited direct; primarily bundled OTT | Limited — Airtel subscriber data used internally |
| Vi | Vi Movies and TV (aggregator only) | None proprietary | No — Vi subscribers reached via third-party platforms |
Regional markets where Vi presence matters
Vi retains meaningful subscriber share in Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan, and parts of Maharashtra. For campaigns targeting these geographies, Vi subscribers are a real audience but must be reached through platform-and-geography targeting combinations. Regional language OTT platforms (Manorama Max in Kerala, Sun NXT in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka) are often more efficient routes to reaching semi-urban and rural audiences in these states than trying to specifically isolate Vi subscribers.