Indian mobile consumer base surpasses 1 billion-mark

Number of users rise to 1.03 billion, a 0.7% jump from September, data from TRAI reveals

Mobile phone user base crossed 1 billion-mark in October this year to reach 1.03 billion connections, a rise of 0.7% from September, according to figures released by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) today.

The number actually indicates total number of active SIM cards and not total number of users as many consumers have the tendency to keep more than one SIM cards.

With the latest additions in October, India became the second nation only after China to have a billion plus mobile connections. China achieved the feat in 2012 and today is the world leader in driving telecom trends globally.

Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) had recently stated that total GSM consumer base in India recently topped 749 million, up by 1.21 million customers in October.

The COAI monthly figures do not include subscriber data of Reliance Communication (RCom), BSNL and Tata Tele Services, who also offer CDMA services. The TRAI data is however, inclusive of nearly all the dozen operators who are providing mobile telephone connectivity services.

The mobile number connections skyrocketed in recent years with the launch of cheaper phones and low voice call rates due to stiff competition. Despite the surge, mobile phone penetration in India still remains as low as 55% for states such as Bihar.