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India Passes 200 Million Phone Subscribers Mark
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has reported that the country passed the 200 million mark in total telephone ownership during the past financial year. A total of 66.51 millions subscribers have been added during the financial year 2006-2007 as compared to 41.91 millions in 2005-06, registering an increase of 58% in annual growth. This is highest ever increase in subscribers base during a financial year after the opening up of telecom sector for competition.
The comparison of year-wise additions in gross telephony subscribers (Wireless & Wireline) base for 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06 & 2006-07 is as follows:
| Financial Year | Yearly Additions | Total sub. at the close FY |
|---|---|---|
| 2002-03 | ---- | 54.48 |
| 2003-04 | 22.05 | 76.53 |
| 2004-05 | 21.88 | 98.41 |
| 2005-06 | 41.91 | 140.32 |
| 2006-07 | 66.51 | 206.83 |
Wireless services subscriber base increased by 3.53 million in March 2007 as compared with 6.21 million in February 2007. This lower growth in the month of March 2007 can be attributed to insistence by the Government to ensure verification of subscribers. The total wireless subscribers at the end of March 2007 are 166.05 million as compared to 98.78 million in March 2006 registering an annual growth of around 68%.
In the Wireline segment a total of 0.40 million subscribers were added during March 2007 as compared to a decline of 0.02 million in February 2007. With this the total subscriber base of wireline reached 40.78 million in March 2007 as compared to 41.54 million in March 2006 registering a decline 1.82%.
The gross subscriber base reached 206.83 million at the end of March 2007. The teledensity is 18.31% at the end of March 2007 as compared to 12.80 at end of the March 2006 registering an increase of 43%. "
Posted to the site on 23rd April 2007