Mumbai’s Dabbawalas become network reporters for Vi

Mumbai’s Dabbawalas visited the nooks and crannies of Mumbai city to experience & test Vi GIGAnet

Vi partnered with Mumbai’s human network, the Dabbawalas, to test and improve the network for offering a superior network experience to its users.

In a constantly moving city such as Mumbai, millions of dreams & ambitions rely on a strong mobile network. With narrow crowded lanes and open, wide expressways, local trains - Mumbai needs a network that is strong & constantly improving, to cater to the crucial connectivity requirement for the constantly moving Mumbaikars.  

When Vi took this challenge, it realised that in this dynamic nature of Mumbai, monitoring and improving the network for the city requires more than just the latest technology. It requires a perspective - one that can only come from knowing Mumbai in and out. To do this, Vi partnered with Mumbai’s Dabbawalas, to test and improve the network for offering a superior network experience to its users.

Dabbawalas have been an integral part of Mumbai city for over a century for their quick food delivery capabilities. This core strength made it possible for them to understand every nook and corner of the city.

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Partnering with Dabbawalas, Vi got them to torture test Vi GIGAnet to understand where the network was seamless and where it needed strengthening on parameters such as data, voice calling, video streaming, gaming etc. The team traversed the length and breadth of Mumbai city, torture testing the network strength of Vi GIGAnet across 22 wards and over 550 locations. With the help of videos and voice notes, data & responses along with live location sharing, Dabbawalas reported their experience in different parts of the city. While they tested the network in areas with good experience, based on their feedback, a team of Vi network engineers continued to reinforce the network in locations from where they reported weaker experience.

With this campaign, Vi wants to showcase how a human network helped make its network stronger & how the improvement journey continues.

Commenting on the network campaign, Avneesh Khosla, CMO, Vi said “Mumbai is a key market for us and ensuring a seamless network is paramount. The human network of Dabbawalas gave us a better perspective on Mumbai & a more holistic feedback on the experience as they torture tested the network. Today, we are confident that Vi offers superior network connectivity in the nooks & corners of the city & the dabbawalas are testimony to it. We thank the dabbawalas for this & strive to continuously improve our network in the city.”

Speaking about the work, Kainaz Karmakar & Harshad Rajadhyaksha, CCOs, Ogilvy India, say, “What could possibly be the connection between a modern, cutting-edge network service provider like Vi, and the 134-year-old iconic Dabbawalas service! It is exactly this clash of contrasts that became the creative backbone of this disruptive idea. In a category saturated with technical data and jargon, we set up an unexpected, charming and much-trusted human network, as our benchmark to live up to when it comes to covering the megapolis of Mumbai. The Dabbawalas have been such an integral part of the ethos and culture of Mumbai, and we are proud to make the efficiency of their network an inspiration for our Vi network.”

Commenting on the association Ulhas Muke, President, Mumbai Dabbawala Association said, "We are delighted to be chosen by Vi to play a role in improving their network experience for Mumbaikars. Today, we take great pride in the fact that our dabbawala network knows and understands Mumbai and its nuances like no other. Our association with Vi for the torture test was to verify the network strength in Mumbai through the experience of video calls, streaming videos, online gaming, download experience, voice connectivity, and speed tests. We are glad to have been a testimony to Vi's strong network experience across Mumbai. This unique partnership with Vi has been a validating, satisfying, and an enjoyable experience."