India's phone connections top 400 million; tele-density reaches 34.5 per cent
21 Feb 2009
Telephone service providers added a total of 15.26 million new connections - wire line as well as wireless - during January 2009 as compared to 10.66 million connections in December 2008, taking the total to over 400 million.
The total number of telephone connections reached 400.05 million as of end-January 2009 as compared to 384.79 million in December 2008. This takes the overall tele-density in the country to 34.50 per cent as of end-January 2009 as against 33.23 per cent in December 2008.
The total wireless subscriber (GSM, CDMA and WLL (F)) base stood at 362.30 million as of end-January 2009. A total of 15.41 million wireless subscribers have been added during January 2009 as against 10.81 million wireless subscribers added during December 2008.
In the wireline segment, however, the subscriber base decreased to 37.75 million in January 2009 from 37.90 million in December 2008, registering a drop of 0.15 million.
Total broadband subscriber base reached 5.65 million by the end of January 2009 as compared to 5.45 million by the end of December 2008.
Comparison of subscriber base during corresponding periods of 2007, 2008 & 2009(Subscribers in Million)
| As on 1.1.07 | As on 31.12.07 | % Growth during 1.1.07- 31.12.07 | As on 1.1.08 | As on 31.12.08* | % Growth during 1.1.08-31.12.08 | As on 31.01.09* | Monthly Addition in Jan '09 | |
| Wireless | 149.62 | 233.63 | 56.14 | 233.63 | 346.89 | 48.47 | 362.30 | 15.41 |
| Wireline | 40.30 | 39.25 | -2.60 | 39.25 | 37.90 | -3.43 | 37.75 | -0.15 |
| Total | 189.92 | 272.88 | 43.68 | 272.88 | 384.79 | 41.01 | 400.05 | 15.26 |