Vodafone-Idea Join Hands With Paytm To Launch New Prepaid Facility For Vendors

In order to support its subscribers, Vodafone-Idea is coming up with different strategies on a daily basis. The company has recently joined hands with Google to help its feature phone users, and now it has partnered with Paytm to launch a new program called 'Recharge Saathi'.

Under this partnership, Vodafone-Idea will provide a recharge facility to medium and small business owners, such as newspaper vendors, milk booth operators, and pharmacists. The telecom operator also allows them to earn points. However, to earn those points, the user needs to recharge from the Paytm app in the recharge section under its 'Stay at Home Essentials' segment.

This Recharge Saathi program allows users to earn Rs. 5,000 per month. Besides, the telco has launched the 'Recharge for good' program where it is offering recharge facility with ATMs and SMS.

"We believe that this partnership with Paytm will help a large number of our prepaid customers who are digitally unengaged to remain connected without having to step out to recharge. This partnership will enable digitally connected individuals and small businesses to sell recharges and earn a livelihood," Avneesh Khosla, Marketing Director, Vodafone-Idea said.

Joining hands with Paytm will definitely help the operator as Paytm is serving more than 350 million users in the country, and it is known for paying bills and mobile recharging facilities. The announcement comes after Paytm revamped its application so that its users can use the app carefully for paying their bills and recharging their mobile numbers. This means that Vodafone-Idea is looking at new ways to increase its revenue during the lockdown and to cater to the needs of mass audiences.

MHA Allows Phone Recharge Shops To Operate

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has allowed prepaid recharge shops to operate during the lockdown. The ministry has written a letter to all states and said that recharge shops can operate by maintaining social distance.

The development comes as that time when all private telecom players have already extended the validity of prepaid plans until May 3. In addition, the operators are offering free talk time of Rs. 10 to their feature phone users, while Centre's public-sector companies such as Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited has extended the validity of prepaid plans until May 5.