Reliance Jio adds 6.5 mn users in July, Vodafone Idea sheds 1.4 mn

Airtel subscribers up 1.9 mn in July

Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel continued their subscriber addition streak by onboarding 6.5 million and 1.9 million users, respectively, in July, according to the latest data by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai).

Vodafone Idea, however, lost 1.4 million users in the same month.

The total wireless subscribers grew 0.51 per cent from 1,180.83 million at the end of June to 1,186.84 million at the end of July.

While wireless subscriptions in urban areas increased from 646.29 million at the end of June to 650.10 million at the end of July, the subscription in rural areas grew from 534.54 million to 536.74 million during the same period.

The number of telephone subscribers in India increased from 1,202.57 million at the end of June to 1,209.45 million at the end of July.

Urban telephone subscriptions, which stood at 666.10 million at the end of June, rose to 670.75 million at the end of July. The rural subscription also increased from 536.47 million to 538.70 million during the same period.

The telecom sector has got a shot in the arm with the Union Cabinet recently approving a relief package, which includes a four-year break for companies from paying statutory dues, permission to share scarce airwaves, change in the definition of revenue on which levies are paid, and allowing 100 per cent foreign investment through the automatic route.

The measures are aimed at providing relief to companies like Vodafone Idea, which has to pay thousands of crores in un-provisioned past statutory dues.