Revised telecom subscription data-Jan 2021, TRAI

Vodafone Idea Limited vide its letter no. VIL/LT/19-20/627 dated 18th March, 2021 reported an inadvertent error in its HLR subscriber data in respect of Uttar Pradesh (West) LSA for the month of  January 2021.

Subsequent to the change, the revised data is:

Highlights of Telecom Subscription Data as on 31st January, 2021

I.        Total Telephone Subscribers

• The number of telephone subscribers in India increased from 1,173.83 million at the end of December-20 to 1,179.49 million at the end of January-21, thereby showing a monthly growth rate of 0.48%. Urban telephone subscription increased from 91 million at the end of December-20 to 651.59 million at the end of January-21 and the rural subscription also increased from 525.92 million to 527.90 million during the same period. The monthly growth rates of urban and rural telephone subscription were 0.57% and 0.38% respectively during the month of January-21.
• The overall Tele-density in India increased from 86.38 at the end of December-20 to 86.72 at the end of January-21. The Urban Tele-density increased from 138.34 at the end of December-20 to 138.89 at the end of January-21 and Rural Tele-density also increased from 59.05 to 59.25 during the same period. The share of urban and rural subscribers in total number of telephone subscribers at the end of January-21 was 55.24% and 76% respectively.

Overall Tele-density (LSA Wise) – As on 31st January, 2021

 I.     Category-wise Growth in subscriber base 

Circle Category-wise Net Additions in Telephone Subscribers in the month of January 2021

Circle Category-wise monthly and yearly Growth Rates in Telephone Subscribers in the month of January 2021

Note: Circle Category-Metro includes Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. Data for Chennai has been included in Circle Category-A, as part of TamilNadu

II.          Wireless subscriber

• Total wireless subscribers increased from 1,153.77 million at the end of December-20 to 1,159.42 million at the end of January-21, thereby registering a monthly growth rate of 0.49%. Wireless subscription in urban areas increased from 67 million at the end of December-20 to 633.27 million at the end of January-21 and wireless subscription in rural areas also increased from 524.11 million to 526.15 million during the same period. Monthly growth rates of urban and rural wireless subscription were 0.57% and 0.39% respectively.
• The Wireless Tele-density in India increased from 90 at the end of December-20 to 85.24 at the end of January-21. The Urban Wireless Tele- density increased from 134.44 at the end of December-20 to 134.98 at the end of January-21 and Rural Tele- density also increased from 58.85 to

59.05 during the same period. The share of urban and rural wireless subscribers in total number of wireless subscribers was 54.62% and 45.38% respectively at the end of January-21. Detailed statistics of wireless subscriber base is available at Annexure-I.

• As on 31st January, 2021, the private access service providers held 89.47% market share of the wireless subscribers whereas BSNL and MTNL, the two PSU access service providers, had a market share of only 53%.

Access Service Provider-wise Market Shares in term of Wireless Subscribers as on 31st January, 2021

Net Additions/decline in Wireless Subscribers of Access Service Providers in the month of January 2021

I.        Growth in Wireless Subscribers

Access Service Provider-wise Monthly Growth Rate of Wireless Subscribers in the month of January, 2021

Service Area-wise Monthly Growth Rate of Wireless Subscribers in the month of January 2021

• J&K service area showed maximum growth of 10% in its wireless subscriber base during the month.

I.     Active Wireless Subscribers (VLR Data)

• Out of the total wireless subscribers (1,159.42 million),

978.68 million wireless subscribers were active on the date of peak VLR in the month of January-21. The proportion of active wireless subscribers was approximately 84.41% of the total wireless subscriber base.

• The detailed statistics on proportion of active wireless subscribers (also referred to as VLR subscribers) on the date of peak VLR in the month of January-21 is available at Annexure-II.

Access Service Provider-wise Percentage of VLR Subscribers in the month of January 2021

•  Bharti Airtel has the maximum proportion (97.44%) of its active wireless subscribers (VLR) as against its total wireless subscribers (HLR) on the date of peak VLR in the month of January-21 and MTNL has the minimum proportion of VLR (19.91%) of its HLR during the same
• Service Area wise percentage of VLR Subscribers in the month of January 2021

CT Bureau