GSM operators add 16.6 lakh rural users in October: COAI

GSM mobile operators added 16.6 lakh new subscribers in rural areas in October to take the overall base in such areas to 27.43 crore, industry body COAI said today.

"GSM rural subscribers net additions in October 2013 stood at 1.66 million with 0.61% increase from previous month," the Cellular Operators Association of India said.

Vodafone added the maximum of 7.7 lakh new users, taking its rural subscriber base to 8.39 crore at the end of October.

Bharti Airtel, which has maximum rural subscribers, added 6 lakh new users during the month and its base stood at 8.74 crore.

Idea Cellular and Aircel added 3.7 lakh and 60,000 new users to take their respective base to 6.95 crore and 2.33 crore.

Uninor, however, lost 1.4 lakh rural subscribers during the month, which led its base shrinking  to 1.01 crore at the end of October.

The total rural subscribers as on September 2013 stood at 35.66 crore of which 35.03 crore are wireless and 63.1 lakh are wireline users.

The total rural teledensity stood at 41.70% as on September 2013.