Mar

25

Indian Mobile Customer Base Set To Grow Ahead US Behind China

Filed Under Emerging Sectors, India Business, Indian Companies, Mobile Telecom 

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released a report on growth numbers in February in Telecom Space yesterday- March 24th. The total number of subscribers added in wireless segment for India is reported to be 8.53 million though the net addition to the telecom subscriber base is slightly lower at 8.49 million.

This change can be accounted due to decrease in wire line subscribers over the month. Total wireless addition increases the wireless subscriber base in the country to just over 250 million (250.93 million is forecasted).

The overall tele-density in the country has now crossed over the quarter mark (25.31%). These numbers mean that India is now poised to take over US as the second biggest wireless country based on subscriber numbers in near future.

As per projections by different regulatory bodies, US is adding 2-3 million wireless subscribers per month while India is adding above 8 million per month.

Currently the US has approximately 10 million more subscribers then India. So if we project the rates in future, then India will take over US by April and become second biggest mobile network in world. China will still be much ahead with more than 550 million subscribers.

Amongst other highlights in the reported numbers, is the fact that the growth rate of subscriber addition for Indian operators is continuing at a very high and stable rate.

Even on absolute level, India is adding more customers than China and with the tele-density still at comparatively lower levels, it would be reasonable to expect such good numbers for another 12 to 18 months.

On the operator side, Bharti is still leading the pack in adding new subscribers ahead of Reliance. Bharti added just over 2.2 million in February while Reliance Infocom added approx 1.6 million.

So another major milestone approaches for the mobile industry in India when it will become world’s second biggest network ahead of US. Indian companies have benefited to a great extent due to their lack of legacy and helpful government policies to transform the sector but their next challenge is to profitably monetize the value added services.

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