GSM telcos’ subscriber base expands by 55.4 lakh users

GSM telecom service providers saw their subscriber base expand by 55.4 lakh in August, taking the total connections base to 749.9 million, according to industry body Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI).

At the end of July 2014, the GSM subscribe base stood at 744.4 million, COAI said yesterday.

According to COAI, which represents telecom players like Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular, the data excluded GSM subscriber number of Reliance Communications and Tata Teleservices.

Meanwhile, Reliance Jio Infocomm has also joined the body.

The maximum additions were registered by Idea Cellular in August with 17.2 lakh subscribers joining its network. The operator's subscriber base was up to 14.18 crore at the end of August with 18.91 per cent market share.

Vodafone saw 12.2 lakh subscriber additions to its network taking its base to 17.24 crore at the end of the month and market share of 23 per cent during the reported period.

Meanwhile, market leader Bharti Airtel's subscriber base was up by 7.69 lakh users, rising to 210.5 million at the end of August.

Airtel boasts a market share at 28.07 per cent. The telco added 9.05 lakh users to take its base to 74.8 million as against Uninor adding 7.06 lakh subscribers to reach 40.8 million at the end of August.

Uttar Pradesh (East) contributed to the highest number of GSM users in July with 66.99 million, followed by Maharashtra with 61.9 million and Andhra Pradesh with 56.3 million, Mobiletor.com reported.

Uttar Pradesh (West) registered the maximum number of additions to GSM customers in July at 5.1 lakh while the least growth was observed by the COAI in North East and Haryana with each circle offering up just 3 lakh new GSM users.

State-run MTNL turned out to be the worst performer in terms of total subscribers and the ones added in August.

Company-wise market share as regards GSM customers in July had Airtel, Vodafone, Idea, BSNL, Aircel and Uninor taking 28.18 per cent, 23.01 per cent, 18.82 per cent, 13.05 per cent, 9.94 per cent and 5.4 per cent of the pie, respectively.

The figures saw little change in August, with the carriers having 28.07 per cent, 23 per cent, 18.91 per cent, 12.96 per cent, 9.99 per cent and 5.45 per cent of the same last month, according to COAI.