Indian telcos add 1.98 million mobile subscribers in June

NEW DELHI: The Indian telecom industry marked another month of steady growth by adding 1.98 million mobile subscribers in June 2017.

As per the data released by Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), on Wednesday, the apex industry association of major telecom service providers and mobile, internet and technology companies in the country, the total number of mobile phone subscribers by the end of June 2017 has reached 947.48 million. This includes subscribers of Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd. as of May 2017.

Amongst the telecom companies, Bharti Airtel continues to hold the top position with 29.62% market share, having added another 2.05 million subscribers during June. Airtel’s total subscriber base is now 280.64 million, and is closely followed by Vodafone with a total of 210.19 million subscribers, Idea Cellular with 196.27 million subscribers, and RJio with 117.33 million subscribers.

As per the report, UP East added the maximum number of subscribers (total 84.06 million) across the telecom service areas or circles in India in June 2017. COAI, which just held its AGM on the theme ‘Delivering the Digital Future’, welcomed the sustained growth.

Talking about the increase in the subscriber base, Rajan S Mathews, Director General, COAI, said, “Our vision and aim is to bring mobile connectivity to every corner of the country, and so it is encouraging to see more cities mounting a sizeable mobile customer base. This will help accelerate our journey towards a connected and empowered Digital India.”

Speaking about the impact made by the telecom industry, he added, “The telecom industry is contributing significantly to the Indian economy, and is driving its growth in a comprehensive fashion. The industry has also ensured progress towards the realisation of government’s policy & plans, such as its vision for Digital India, in a manner that connectivity reaches the farthest corners of the country and benefits everyone. We envision an enabled and empowered society where every individual gets a chance to partake in the economic growth of the country.”

The growth in subscriber base is a result of competitive tariffs and signals a positive future for the industry, but it still remains under a debt of over Rs 4.5 crore. 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.

The industry remains committed towards working for a fully connected and digitally empowered India and furthering the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision.