According to latest report released by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), India has a total of 858.37million Mobile Subscribers ( counting both GSM and CDMA subscribers ) as of 31st July 2011 with a 0.78% monthly growth rate. The total wireless/mobile subscriber base increased from 851.70 Million in June 2011 to 858.37 Million at the end of July 2011, adding 6.67milling subscribers in a month and registering a growth of 0.78%.
The share of Urban Subscriber has marginally decreased to 65.91% from 66.00% where as share of Rural Subscribers has marginally increased from 34.00% to 34.09%. The overall wireless Tele density in India reaches 71.59 million. Wireless subscription in Urban Areas increased from 562.12 million in June 2011 to 565.71 million at the end of July 2011. Rural subscription increased from 289.57 million to 292.65 million during the same period. This shows higher growth in Rural Subscription (1.05%) than Urban Subscription (0.64%). The Urban wireless teledensity has increased from 155.96 million to 156.59 million and Rural teledensity has increased from 34.58 million to 34.92 million.
Indian Telecom Operators Market Share as on 31.07.2011
Private operators hold 88.27% of the wireless market share where as Govt owned BSNL and MTNL operators hold only 11.73% of the market share.
Bharti Airtel still hold the crown of India’s largest mobile service operator by adding 1.51 million GSM subscribers during this period, totaling subscriber base to 170.69 million. Reliance ( GSM and CDMA) added 1.52 million mobile users during this period, taking its subscriber base to 144.78 million and taking the second spot. Vodafone Essar added 1.49 million new subscribers during the month, taking its total base to 143.01 million and takes the 3rd spot of largest mobile operator in India.
Tata Teleservices ( including both Tata Indicom and Tata Docomo) has seen a massive down/negative growth in terms of subscriber acquisition with recorded a lost of 2.67 million mobile subscribers during July, that’s around -40.13% loss.
Reliance Communications (Rcom) added 1.52 million mobile subscribers in both GSM and CDMA base, and thus becoming largest mobile subscribers adder which is roughly a 22.80% of the total subscribers added during this period, taking its mobile subscriber base to 144.78 million by the end of July 2011. Bharti Airtel taking the second spot with 22.63% mobile subscribers addition and Vodafone added 22.35% mobile subscribers during this period becoming 3rd.
Other telecom operators like BSNL, MTNL, IDEA, HFCL, Etisalat, Loop, Stel, Videocon, Sistema and Aircle reported marginal growth during this period. When looking overall mobile subscribers base in India, there is a slow down in growth when compared to previous months.
Do comment what you feel on this matter.