In a striking display of dominance, Reliance Jio has once again topped the charts for mobile subscriber growth, adding 2.17 million new users in March. This impressive figure marks the second consecutive month that Jio has led the industry, as reported by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai). Bharti Airtel, the second-largest telecom provider in India, also made notable gains, bringing in 1.25 million new subscribers during the same period.
Subscriber Trends in March
The month of March saw a mix of fortunes among telecom operators. Vodafone Idea, however, faced challenges with a net loss of 541,377 subscribers, following a decrease of 20,720 in February. This trend continues despite a lesser loss compared to the 1.34 million subscribers that left in January.
On a more positive note, state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) managed to recover slightly, adding 49,177 subscribers after suffering a loss of 566,069 in February.
Current Subscriber Figures
As of March 31, the subscriber landscape looks as follows:
- Reliance Jio: 469.76 million
- Bharti Airtel: 389.8 million
- Vodafone Idea: 205.36 million
- BSNL: 91.06 million
Overall, the total mobile subscriber base across India grew by 3.21 million, reaching 1.163 billion in March. Notably, the rural markets were the primary drivers of this growth, adding 4.86 million new subscribers, while urban areas experienced a decline of 1.64 million.
Market Share Insights
In March, Jio’s market share increased slightly to 40.60%, up from 40.52% in February. Airtel’s market presence also saw a boost, rising to 33.69%. Conversely, Vodafone Idea continued to lose ground, now holding a 17.75% share, while BSNL’s market share decreased to 7.87%.
According to Trai, the proportion of active subscribers stood at 92.85% of the total wireless subscriber base, with the active subscriber count climbing to 1.074 billion in March, compared to 1.068 billion the previous month.
Active Subscriber Growth
Breaking down the active subscriber figures, Airtel experienced an increase of 1.5 million, bringing its active subscriber base to 389.68 million. In contrast, Reliance Jio saw a significant growth of 5.03 million, raising its active user count to 451 million by the end of March.
On the downside, Vodafone Idea reported a slight decrease in its active user base, which now stands at 175.35 million, down by 0.04 million. Meanwhile, the fixed broadband sector also showed growth, with subscribers increasing by 0.44% month-on-month to reach 41.39 million in March.
Mobile Number Portability Requests
March proved to be a busy month for mobile number portability (MNP) requests, with 13.54 million subscribers seeking to switch providers. This brought the cumulative MNP requests to an impressive 1,118.94 million, up from 1,105.39 million in February.
In summary, the Indian telecom sector is witnessing dynamic shifts in subscriber figures and market share. While Reliance Jio continues to lead, the overall growth in subscriptions highlights the ongoing evolution of the telecommunications landscape in India.
