India now has 1.2 billion Telephone subscribers – TRAI [May 2017]

With the wave of free offers and discounted data plans, India now has around 1.2 billion telecom subscribers. According to the latest Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), telecom subscription data as on May 2017 number of telephone subscribers in India now stands at 1,204.98 million. Out of this, the total wireless subscriber base which also includes mobile subscribers in the country stands at 1,180.82 million at the end of May 2017.

Reliance Jio strived during the period with its Dhan Dhana Dhan offer and was successful in adding around 4.7 million new subscribed to its network. Airtel also expanded its subscriber base by adding around 2.09 million new subscribers to its network. On the losing side, Tata (Tata Communications and Tata Docomo) lost around 2.1 million subscribers from its network.

Highlights of Telecom Subscription (31st May 2017)

• The number of telephone subscribers in India touched 1,204.98 million with a monthly growth rate of 0.51 percent.
• Total wireless subscriber base which also includes GSM, CDMA and LTE subscribers in the country increased to 1,180.82 million.
• Private telecom operators hold 90.96 percent of Indian telecom market share. Whereas the two PSU telecom operators BSNL and MTNL have a market share of 9.04 percent.
• Reliance Jio adds the maximum number of subscribers to its network, followed by Airtel and BSNL.
• On the losing side, Tata continued to lose its subscribers followed by Telenor which is on the verge of a merger with Airtel.
• Airtel still holds the top position in India telecom sector with 23.59 percent market share. Followed by Vodafone India with 17.86 percent market share and Idea Cellular with 16.62 percent market share.

• During the month of May 2017, Jammu and Kashmir telecom circle showed maximum growth rate in wireless subscribers. Whereas Gujarat telecom circle showed maximum decline rate in wireless subscribers.
• Wireline subscriber base which includes BSNL landline declined to 24.16 million.
• BSNL top’s the wireline segment with 55.34 percent market share followed by Airtel with 16.03 percent market share.
• In the month of May 2017 alone a total of 5.37 million requests were received for Mobile number portability (MNP).

Highlights of Broadband Data (31st May 2017)

• The number of broadband subscribers, which include both mobile and wired subscribers increased to 291.61 million at the end of May 2017.
• Reliance Jio tops the chart in broadband data market in the country with 117.34 million subscribers. In the second spot, we have Airtel with 53.30 million data subscribers, almost half of Jio’s data subscriber.

• Taking mobile broadband subscribers alone, Reliance Jio has around 117.35 million data subscribers. Whereas Airtel has 51.21 million subscribers and Vodafone India at third position with 40.42 million subscribers.
• On wired broadband connection, BSNL tops with 9.80 million subscribers, followed by Airtel with 2.09 million subscribers.