GSM subscriber base swells by 9.3 million to 268 million in January

GSM mobile phone service providers in India added a whopping 9.3 million subscribers in January 2009 – the highest-ever monthly addition – despite the economic downturn stemming from the global financial market meltdown.

This takes the total mobile phone subscriber base in the country to 267.5 million, till January 2009 even as the list continues to grow.

The figures released by GSM operators' association COAI today, however, does not include the numbers from Reliance Telecom. If Reliance Telecom numbers are included the addition the figures for January could well cross 10 million, sources pointed out.

Vodafone Essar added 2.4 million new users (total base (63 million) last month, while Airtel added 2.73 million more customers (88 million).

Idea Cellular added two million new users and state-run BSNL added 1.31 million new users (42 million). MTNL added 0.1 million new users in January.

Indian telecom operators, including CDMA and landline networks added 10.66 million wireless subscribers in December.

India is now the second largest wireless market after China and one of the fastest growing telecom markets with some of the lowest call rates and cheapest handsets.