BENGALURU: India added 1.307 crore (13.07 million, 103.7 lakh) subscribers in the month ended 31 March 2019 (Mar-19, month or period under review) according to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) telecom subscription data. This translates to 2.37 percent growth as compared to 1.90 percent growth (1.02 crore, 10.2 million, 102 lakh subscriber additions ) in the month of Feb-19, which was the slowest growth since Aug-18.
Overall Internet
As has been the norm, the largest number of broadband subscribers were added by way of Mobiles (Phones & Dongles), followed by Fixed wireless- WiFi, Wi Max, Point to Point Radio, Vsat and wired broadband internet and in that order. However, in percentage growth terms, it was Fixed wireless- WiFi, Wi Max, Point to Point, Radio, Vsat that grew the most - by 24.33 percent during the month under review according to TRAI data.
Mobile (Phones & Dongles) broadband internet subscribers grew 2.41 percent (1.283 crore, 12.83 million, 128.3 lakh) during Mar-19 to 54.437 crore (544.37 million, 5,443.7 lakh) subscribers. Wired broadband internet subscribers grew 0.72 percent (20,000) in Mar-19 to 1.829 crore (18.29 million, 182.9 lakh). As mentioned above, Fixed wireless- WiFi, Wi Max, Point to Point, Radio, Vsat subscribers grew by 24.33 percent (added 1,00,000 subscribers) to 0.052 crore (0.52 million, 5.2 lakh) during the period under review.
The top five broadband internet service providers constituted 98.67 percent market share of the total broadband subscribers at the end of Mar-19. These service providers were Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd 30.672 crore (306.72 million, 3,067.2 lakh), Bharti Airtel with 11.462 crore (114.62 million, 1,146.2 lakh), Vodafone Idea 11.022 crore (110.22 million, 1,102.2 lakh), BSNL 2.214 crore (22.14 million, 221.4 lakh) and Tata Tele Group 0.21 crore (2.10 million. 21 lakh).
Wired Broadband Internet
As on 31 March, 2019, the top five Wired Broadband Service providers were BSNL 0.921 crore (9.21 million, 92.1 lakh), Bharti Airtel 0.236 crore (2.36 million 23.6 lakh), Atria Convergence Technologies 0.142 crore (1.42 million, 14.2 lakh), Hathway Cable & Datacom had 0.081 crore (0.81 million. 8.1 lakh) and MTNL 0.076 crore (0.76 million, 7.6 lakh). The top 5 wired broadband internet service providers added 90,000 subscribers in Mar-19. However, the wired broadband internet subscriber base grew by only 20,000, hence indicating that other smaller service providers bled subscribers. Among the top 5 subscribers, BSNL added 40,000 subscribers, Airtel added 30,000 subscribers, Hathway added 20,000 subscribers, ACT added 10,000 subscribers, while MTNL lost 10,000 subscribers in Mar-19.
Mobile (Phones & Dongles) Internet
As on 31 March, 2019, the top five Wireless Broadband Service providers were Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd 30.672 crore (306.72 million, 3,067.2 lakh), Bharti Airtel 11.226 crore (112.26 million, 1,122.6 lakh), Vodafone Idea 11.02 crore (110.20 million, 1,102 lakh), BSNL 1.293 crore (12.93 million, 129.3 crore) and Tata Teleservices 0.168 crore (1.68 million, 16.8 lakh). As has also become a norm since it commenced providing services, Jio led subscription growth amongst the top 5 service provider by adding 0.949 crore (9.49 million, 94.9 lakh) subscribers in Mar-19. Airtel added 0.246 crore (2.46 million, 24.60 lakh subscribers), BSNL added 0.109 crore subscribers, while the Idea-Vodafone entity lost 30,000 subscribers during the month under review.
