In November 2024, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea (Vi), and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) faced significant subscriber losses, as per the latest data from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). Bharti Airtel saw its wireless subscriber base shrink by 11.4 lakh users, bringing its total to 38.4 crore. Vodafone Idea experienced an even larger decline, losing 15 lakh users and reducing its subscriber count to 20.8 crore. Similarly, BSNL’s wireless subscribers dropped by 3.4 lakh, settling at 9.20 crore. Notably, BSNL had gained subscribers in previous months, benefiting from tariff hikes by private operators and SIM consolidation. In contrast, Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd. was the only telecom operator to add subscribers during the month, gaining 12.1 lakh users and reaching a total of 46.12 crore.
The overall industry numbers reflected these trends. In November 2024, total telephone subscribers stood at 1,187.15 million, including 1,148.65 million wireless subscribers and 38.50 million wireline subscribers, resulting in an overall teledensity of 84.32%. Urban teledensity was significantly higher at 81.59%, compared to just 2.73% in rural areas. The broadband segment saw growth, with total broadband subscribers rising from 941.47 million in October 2024 to 944.76 million in November 2024, reflecting a monthly growth rate of 0.35%. Meanwhile, the wireline segment grew as well, with subscribers increasing from 37.79 million to 38.50 million, marking a net gain of 0.72 million and a monthly growth rate of 1.89%.
In terms of market share, Reliance Jio dominated the wireline market with a 42.33% share, followed by Bharti Airtel at 25.15%, and Vodafone Idea at 2.21%. Public Sector Units (PSUs) like BSNL, MTNL, and APSFL collectively held 22.80%. In the wireless market, Reliance Jio held the largest share at 40.15%, followed by Bharti Airtel at 33.45%, Vodafone Idea at 18.19%, and the PSUs together accounting for 8.20%. Despite overall declines in wireless subscribers, the industry showed signs of resilience in wireline and broadband segments, driven by increased connectivity efforts and digital adoption.
