Mobile user base dips first time in 7 months, shrinks by 3.6 mn in Sept

Rural India saw subscriptions fall by 3.7 million. Urban barely offset that with a rise of 540,000

The number of mobile phone subscribers in India decreased by 3.66 million in September to 1.17 billion, representing the first fall in the past seven months, latest data released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) showed.

The number of subscribers had last fallen by 3.7 million back in February. In recent months, it rose by 1.08 million in August, 0.64 million in July and 1.89 million in June.

The latest fall in subscribers was concentrated in rural areas, pointing towards signs of deepening rural distress. The number of subscribers in India's vast rural hinterland fell by 3.71 million