Mobile user base drops 0.8 mn in Apr; Jio gains 3 mn subscribers: Trai data

Reliance Jio gained 3 million subscribers for the second straight month, almost equal number left Vodafone Idea

The number of mobile phone connections in India fell by 0.8 million in April this year, after an increase of 1.96 million in March, the highest in nine months, the latest data from Trai showed.

In past 12 months,  the  number of wireless (mobile phone) subscriptions fell on six occasions.  In April, urban areas lost 0.8 million mobile users, in a stark contrast to the previous month when 1.17 million new connections went online in cities. The number of connections in rural areas rose by a marginal 0.1 million in April, after a rise of 0.7 million in March.

Reliance Jio continued to cement its lead in the Indian telecom market, gaining 3 million new users in April, similar to March.  Bharti Airtel’s subscriber count also rose, by just 76,328, in April, down from 1.03 million additions in March. Vodafone Idea, on the other hand, lost 2.9 million subscribers in April.