GSM operators add 7.12 million subscribers in October 2011

Signalling a revival in the telecom sector, India's GSM operators added 7.12 million new subscribers in October, as against 6.52 million in the previous month, taking the total number of users to 625.41 million.

Subscriber additions had been declining for four months since May, with the sector exhibiting a reversal in trend in September when it added 6.5 million subscribers, taking the total number to 618.28 million users.

Bharti Airtel, the country's largest GSM player, added 0.95 million users, taking its total subscriber base to 173.73 million, according to data released by the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI). The New Delhi-based firm had a 27.78-per cent market share, maintaining its leadership position in the country.

Vodafone Essar, the country's second largest GSM operator, added 0.92 million new subscribers during the month, taking its total user base to 145.92 million. The company, a unit of the UK's Vodafone Plc, has a 23.33-per cent market share as of end October.

Idea Cellular, the country's fourth largest operator by subscriber base, witnessed 1.64 million new users taking its total subscriber base to 101.82 million, while Aircel added 0.48 million customers to take its subscriber base to 60.28 million.

The COAI data excludes data from Reliance Communications, the country's second largest operator, which provides services both on GSM and CDMA platforms.

State-owned telecom firm Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) added 0.51 million, increasing its subscriber base to 91.58 million, while that of Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) added 34,919 new users, taking total to 5.36 million.

Loop Mobile added  14,160 new users in October, taking its overall subscriber base to 3.21 million, while STel added 44,904  users increasing its total user base to 3.54 million users.

Uninor, the GSM joint venture of Norway's Telenor and India's leading real estate firm Unitech, added 2.67 million users, the largest GSM subscriber additions, during the month, taking its total subscriber base to 32.32 million. The company had a market share of 5.17 percent as on October-end.