Verizon Leads Global Telecoms Brands, Jio Grows Strongest and Fastest

According to the Brand Finance Telecoms 150 2021, Verizon leads world’s most valuable telecoms brand with brand value up 8% to US$68.9 billion, followed by AT&T, Deutsche Telecom and China Mobile in turn. Reliance Jio is the strongest and fastest growing brand in terms of brand value, with a 50% increase to US$4.8 billion. Although in difficulties, Huawei continues to lead as the world’s most valuable and strongest telecoms infrastructure brand, with a brand value of US$55.4 billion, beating Cisco and Corning respectively on brand value and brand strength, according to Brand Finance Telecoms Infrastructure 10.

Here is the list of Top 10 most valuable brand according to the Brand Finance Telecom 150 2021.

Verizon retains its positions as the most valuable telecoms brand in North America and globally

For the second year in a row Verizon has claimed the title of the world’s most valuable telecoms brand following an 8% increase in brand value to US$68.9 billion. This brand value growth has not only propelled it back into the top 10 most valuable brands globally in the Brand Finance Global 500 2021 ranking, but has meant the brand has continued to widen the lead over second placed AT&T (brand value down 13% to US$51.4 billion).

Among the Top 10 telecoms brands, there are 4 US brands, including Verizon, AT&T, Xfinity (Comcast) and Spectrum (Charter Communications). 

Totally 17 US brands feature in the Brand Finance Telecoms 150 2021 ranking, with a combined brand value of US$182.8 billion.

South American telcos go from bad to worse

In Brazil, Telefonica's Vivo dropped 31% to US$1.5 billion in term of brand value, being the 8th fastest falling brand in the ranking. Vivo is the leading wireless
and fixed brand in Brazil. Oi dropped by 35% to US$425 millionis, being the fourth fastest falling brand. Oi has been plagued by financial woes over the last few years, initially filing for bankruptcy in 2016 and recording losses ever since. 

Argentina’s Personal lost 53% of its brand value to US$253 million, becoming the third fastest falling brand in the ranking.

Chilean VTR down by 31% to US$260 million, being the 7th fastest falling brand in the ranking. VTR’s drop in brand value is predominantly attributed to a slight decrease in revenue and an increase in weighted cost of capital over the last year.

America Movil's Claro in Mexico as well as Brazil, dropped from 25th in 2020 to 34th in 2021. 

Deutsche Telecom reigns as most valuable in Europe

Significantly bolstered by the T-Mobile and Sprint merger in the United States, even despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Deutsche Telekom has retained its position as the most valuable telecoms brand in Europe, with a brand value of US$51.1 billion, climbing one spot in the Brand Finance Telecoms 150 2021 ranking to 3rd place. Following an impressive 28% brand value growth, the brand is the fastest growing in the top 10, outperforming the second fastest growing brand, Spectrum in the US, which has increased by 11% to US$21.4 billion.

Vodafone and Orange are both ranking among the Top 10, both with positive growth.

Asia: Jio storm continues, the strongest and fastest growing telecoms brand globally

According to Brand Finance's Brand Strength Index (BSI) which evaluates the relative strength of brands, based on factors such as marketing investment, customer perceptions, staff satisfaction, and corporate reputation, Jio scores highest in all metrics – consideration, conversion, reputation, recommendation, word of mouth, innovation, customer service and value for money. Jio becomes the unquestioned strongest telecoms brand in the world, with a BSI score of 91.7 out of 100 and an elite AAA+ brand strength rating.

Launched commercial mobile service in India in September 2016, Jio has quickly become the largest mobile network operator in India and the third largest mobile network operator in the world in terms of mobile subscribers. Renowned for its incredibly affordable plans, Jio took India by storm through offering 4G to millions of users for free, simultaneously transforming how Indians consume the internet – known as the ‘Jio effect’.

As well as being a standout brand for brand strength, Jio is the fastest-growing brand in the ranking in terms of brand value, bucking the negative trend across the industry, with a 50% increase to US$4.8 billion, climbing 14 positions from 45th to 31th. 

In a research by SubmarineNetworks.com in early 2020, it forecast that Jio's profitability will grow by more than 50% or even double and Jio’s valuation may rise further.

In China, China Mobile remains the most valuable brand in Asia and the fourth most valuable brand in the world, with a brand value of US$37.6 billion, despite recording a 23% drop in brand value. China Telecom dropped by 34% to US$13.3 billion, and China Unicom dropped by 15% to US$7.9 billion, ranked in 11th and 16th respectively in the Brand Finance Telecoms 150 2021.

Japanese telcos performs not bad, NTT retains 5th, au of KDDI climbed two spots from 12th in 2020 to 10th in 2021, Softbank lost one spot to 12th following China Telecom at 11th.

Other leading Asian brands in the Brand Finance Telecoms 150 2021 include Bharti Airtel (23rd), Viettel (24th), SK Telecom (30th), Telkom Indonesia (36th), KT(37th), Chunghwa Telecom (38th), UQ Communications (39th), AIS (41th), Singtel (43rd), VNPT (48th), PLDT(52th), Globe Telecom (55th), LG U+(57th), KDDI (59th), Taiwan Mobile (60th), HKT (69th), Maxis (71th), True (77th), DiGi (84th), TM(88th), StarHub (90th), Celcom (92th), Tata Communications (129th), PCCW(143th), etc.

Middle East & Africa: Brands continue to innovate

Etisalat in the UAE has been crowned the strongest telecoms brand in the Middle East and Africa region, with a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 87.4 out of 100 and a corresponding AAA brand strength rating – the only brand in the region to achieve this rating. Etisalat ranks in 15th in the Brand Finance Telecoms 150 2021.

stc in Saudi Arabia is the region’s most valuable brand, its brand value up an impressive 14% to US$9.2 billion, simultaneously jumping 5 positions to 13th. stc has recently doubled the capacity of its network, never compromising on customer service – something the brand prides itself on. The brand has also achieved a AAA- brand rating for the first time because of its brand and business transformation.

Ooredoo gained one spot to 40th, Du lost 11 positions to 62th, Zain downed one to 54th, Mobily jumped 10 positions to 75th, Omantel ranked in 130th.

MTN is Africa's most valuable telecoms brand despite recording a 19% brand value loss to US$2.7 billion, ranked in 49th. Over the last year, Africa’s largest mobile operator has celebrated solid profits and impressive subscriber growth, which currently stands at over 250 million across 23 countries.

Oceania: Four brands feature

Four brands from Oceania feature in the ranking, with Australia's Telstra the highest ranked in 20th position. Increasing competition has caused the value of the Telstra brand to drop by 15% to US$6.8 billion, reaching its lowest point since 2014. The story is similar for Optus which decreased by 16% to US$2.7 billion due to a drop in forecast revenue and external economic factors. Optus retains the ranking as the strongest brand in the region.

In contrast, New Zealand’s Spark has recorded a healthy 10% brand value increase to US$604 million, simultaneously climbing 10 spots in the ranking from 121st to 111th. Spark launched its commercial 5G network in the capital last year, partnering with Auckland Transport to demonstrate what the future of Auckland’s CBD could look like with the power of 5G behind it.

iiNet is the only new entrant from the region to enter the ranking this year, with a brand value of US$257 million and nabbing 148th position.

Brand Finance Telecoms Infrastructure 10

Alongside the 150 most valuable telecoms operator brands, Brand Finance has ranked the world‘s top 10 most valuable telecoms infrastructure brands in the
Brand Finance Telecoms Infrastructure 10 2021 ranking.

Depite its difficulties due to the ban by the US government, Huawei continues to lead the pack as the world’s most valuable and strongest telecoms infrastructure brand, with a brand value of US$55.4 billion and a Brand Strength Index score of 84.6 out of 100, beating US brans Cisco and Corning respectively on brand value and brand strength.

Notebaly, only two brands in the ranking record brand value increases this year. Sweden’s Ericsson had its brand value up 4% to US$2.9 billion, ranking 6th. And the US’s Juniper Networks grew 14% to US$1.1 billion, ranking 8th.

Another three Chinese brands stay in the Brand Finance Telecoms Infrastructure 10 2021 ranking, ZTE, Hengtong and ZTT rank 5th, 9th and 10th respectively.