According to figures released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) on October 18, telecom giant Reliance Jio added 32.8 lakh mobile users in August, whilst rival Vodafone Idea (Vi) lost 19.6 lakh subscribers during the month.
According to the report, Sunil Mittal’s Bharti Airtel, which is regarded as India’s second-largest network provider behind Jio, added 3.26 lakh members in August.
Only Jio, one of the three private telecom companies, saw a rise in new user connections month over month. The business added 29.5 lakh new customers in July.
While Vi lost 15.4 lakh subscribers in July, Bharti Airtel gained 5.13 lakh new customers.
The state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), which lost 5.71 lakh users in August compared to a loss of 8.19 lakh users in July, too continued to lose subscribers.
While the BSNL is experiencing a decline in its customer base, the government is developing a strategy to revitalise the business. By combining with Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL), the Union Cabinet in July unanimously approved a Rs 1.64 lakh crore resuscitation package that aims to enhance the quality of BSNL services, de-stress the balance sheet, and increase the company’s fiber reach.