The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has revealed its subscriber data for September 2024, highlighting significant shifts in India’s telecom sector. Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea faced continued subscriber losses for the third consecutive month, while state-owned BSNL reported steady growth, capitalizing on its decision to avoid tariff hikes.

According to The Economic Times on Friday,  Reliance Jio experienced the largest decline, losing 7.9 million wireless subscribers, reducing its total user base to 463.78 million from 471.74 million in August. Vodafone Idea followed, losing 1.5 million users, with its base falling to 212.45 million, while Bharti Airtel shed 1.4 million subscribers, ending the month with 383.48 million users.

 

The losses coincide with tariff increases implemented by private operators in July, which raised mobile rates by 11–25 peercent, impacting affordability and subscriber retention.

 

In stark contrast, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) added 849,493 subscribers, pushing its total wireless user base to 91.89 million. The state-run operator’s decision to maintain competitive pricing while gradually rolling out 4G services has positioned it as a strong contender in the market.

TRAI’s data also shed light on active subscriber trends:

• Jio saw an increase of 1.73 million active users, reaching 444.49 million.
• BSNL gained 1.17 million active users, raising its active base to 54.77 million.
• Airtel and Vodafone Idea, however, witnessed declines of 1.31 million and 3.11 million active users, respectively.