Total mobile subscribers base grows to 975.40 mn in Nov

Apex industry association representing the country's major Telecom, Internet, Technology and Digital Services companies Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) on Thursday released latest telecom subscriber numbers with over 975.40 million subscribers in India's private telecom service providers.

As per the data, the figures include Reliance Jio Infocomm and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam (MTNL) by the end of October 2017, reported TRAI.

Amongst the individual companies, Bharti Airtel continues to hold the top position, with 29.68 percent market share, adding another 4.04 million subscribers during November, to take its total subscriber base to 289.54 million subscribers. Airtel is closely followed by Vodafone India, which ended November with 211.03 million subscribers, while Idea Cellular stood at 194.07 million subscribers at the end of the eleventh month of the year.

The report, which also provides mobile subscriber numbers for individual circles, showed that UP (East) circle remained at the top with total 84.99 million subscribers, while Maharashtra remained at second position with a total of 81.50 million mobile subscribers.

"The industry has ensured that Government's Digital India programme reaches the farthest corners of the country and everyone reaps the benefit of new communication technologies. All the operators have significantly expanded their services across the country, and have begun heavily diversifying their services beyond voice and data for the consumer," said Director General COAI, Rajan S Mathews.

Mobile connectivity and data services have played a pivotal role in bridging the digital divide and moving India towards a truly equitable and democratic nation.

The telecom industry, therefore, deserves an urgent and immediate intervention to encourage policy and regulatory stability, and facilitate growth, innovation and investment in the sector in view of the mounting financial debt and debilitating financial health of the industry.

The industry remains committed towards working for a fully connected and digitally empowered India and, furthering the Hon Prime Minister's vision of Digital India.