TRAI Reports: BSNL Sees Major Subscriber Gains While Airtel, Jio, and Vi Experience Declines

• BSNL recorded a notable increase in subscribers, contrasting sharply with the decline experienced by private telecom operators, as highlighted by TRAI data
• Overall, the Indian telecom market witnessed a net decline of 0.92 million users in July 2024.
• Private telcos experienced subscriber losses following the tariff hikes implemented in July 2024.

The month of July 2024 marked a surprising shift in the Indian telecom landscape. While Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) saw a substantial growth of 2.93 million subscribers, private Telecom giants like Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea (Vi) reported significant declines. This is noteworthy as it’s the first time in a long period that the telecom sector has faced a net loss in users, with the total subscriber base dropping from 1.171 billion in June 2024 to 1.169 billion in July 2024.

One of the main reasons for this trend is the tariff hike introduced by private telecom operators. This increase in prices, up to 25%, seems to have pushed users towards BSNL, which has not raised its rates. As a result, BSNL not only retained its customer base but also gained a considerable number of new subscribers.

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BSNL’s Subscriber Surge
BSNL’s performance in July 2024 has been outstanding, as the state-run operator added 2.93 million new users. This increase boosted its total subscriber count from 85.58 million in June to 88.51 million in July. This growth highlights a significant shift as more users turn to BSNL for its competitive pricing and reliable services amidst the rising costs of private players.

Airtel Sees the Biggest Decline
Among the private players, Bharti Airtel suffered the most, losing 1.69 million subscribers in just one month. This drop took its total subscriber base from 389.02 million in June to 387.33 million in July. Despite this loss, Airtel maintains a strong active subscriber base of 383.66 million users, representing 99.05% of its total user count.

Vi Struggles with Subscriber Loss
Vodafone Idea (Vi), which has not yet launched its 5G services, continued to struggle, losing 1.41 million subscribers in July. This decline reduced its total user base from 217.30 million in June to 215.88 million in July. The active user base for Vi stands at 185.23 million, making up 85.80% of its total subscribers.

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Reliance Jio Experiences a Slowdown
Reliance Jio, which has typically been on an upward trajectory in terms of user growth, also reported a decline of 758,463 subscribers in July. This decrease brought its total subscriber count down to 475.77 million from 476.53 million in June. Despite this setback, Jio’s active subscriber base remains strong at 440.73 million, or 92.64% of its total subscribers.

MNP Requests on the Rise in Indian Telecom

The number of Mobile Number Portability (MNP) requests continued to grow, with 13.68 million users seeking to switch their telecom operators in July 2024. This brings the total MNP requests since its introduction in November 2010 to a staggering 1.01 billion, reflecting users’ desire for better service and pricing options.

In conclusion, July 2024 has been a month of notable shifts in the Indian telecom sector, with BSNL making significant gains while private operators face a challenging period. As the industry adjusts to the new pricing strategies, it will be interesting to see how these trends evolve in the coming months.