Airtel tops subscriber base with 3 million additions in March

India's largest telecom service provider Bharti Airtel has added 3 million subscribers during March to take its total subscriber base to 273.65 million subscribers, Cellular Operators Association of India said.

COAI said that "with 33.25 percent Bharti Airtel continues to own the maximum market share in the industry." Adding that Airtel is closely followed by Vodafone with 209.06 million subscribers, Idea Cellular with 195.37 million subscribers and Rjio with 72.158 million subscribers.

Rajan S Mathews, Director General, COAI, said, "The telecommunication industry has again posted good growth for the month of March 2017. The growth in the subscriptions indicates that consumer base is expanding and reaching new horizons in the country."

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He said, "we are an enabler of comprehensive growth of the country. The industry has also ensured that government's Digital India programme reaches the farthest corners of the country and everyone reaps the benefit of new communication technologies."

Meanwhile, the data released by COAI mentions that the number of mobile phone subscribers by the end of March 2017 has reached 895.258 million. This includes subscribers of Reliance Jio Infocomm. Ltd as of December 2016 (Source: TRAI). Total subscribers by the end of March 2017 (excluding Rjio) have reached 823.10 million. The net increase in subscriber base is 5.68 million in the month of March 2017.

West Bengal and Andaman and Nicobar added the maximum number of subscribers at 0.86 million in March, while UP East circle had the highest number of subscribers at 75.10 million.

He added: "It is heartening to see the increase of subscribers in Andaman & Nicobar Islands, which is far from the mainland. This increase is inspiring us to develop mobile infrastructure in these regions.Connecting citizens translate into empowering citizens, as the mobile is a great instrument for new opportunities."

Mathews added that "we strive towards an enabled society where every individual is connected and has the opportunity to partake in the economic growth of the country. The industry, however, is undergoing extreme financial stress and submits that requisite intersection are made at the policy regulatory front for a stable, facilitative long-term ecosystem which is conducive for investments, Digital India, Skill India and Make in India."