Vodafone Idea (Vi) continues to lose customers despite significant fundraising efforts. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) latest monthly performance report reveals that Vi lost 1.67 million active subscribers in May 2024. Additionally, Vi’s overall subscriber base decreased by 0.92 million users. The upcoming quarterly results will provide insights into the number of 4G customers added by the telecom operator.
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), another struggling telecom provider, also experienced a decline in its customer base. BSNL lost 0.52 million overall wireless subscribers and 0.62 million active users. The lack of 4G services has led to continuous customer attrition to private telecom operators.
In contrast, Reliance Jio led the market by adding the most wireless subscribers in May 2024. Jio’s overall subscriber base increased by 2.19 million users, while Bharti Airtel’s grew by 1.25 million. In terms of active users, Jio added 3.53 million, and Airtel added 0.84 million.
As of May 31, 2024, the total subscriber base for these telcos was:
– Jio: 474.62 million
– Airtel: 384.16 million
– Vodafone Idea: 218.16 million
– BSNL: 86.49 million
Both BSNL and Vodafone Idea continue to lose subscribers. The impact of recent tariff hikes on the subscriber base of the respective telcos remains to be seen. All private telecom operators have increased the tariffs of their popular plans, which may lead to some SIM consolidation. Vi aims to attract and retain active 4G users to grow its high Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) customer base and boost revenue levels.
Jio Rock